University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus

The University of Colorado Denver, founded in 1912 as an extension center of the CU flagship, evolved into a full urban campus on shared Auraria grounds by 1974, while the Anschutz Medical Campus emerged from the health sciences center renamed after philanthropist Philip Anschutz's support. You'll find two distinct sites nine miles apart—one buzzing downtown amid skyscrapers, the other in Aurora near major hospitals—serving practical-minded students who juggle classes with jobs or internships. Career-driven undergrads and grad seekers thrive here amid Colorado's metro energy, though commuters face traffic snarls and those seeking a tight-knit residential feel might miss out.