,·Private (for-profit)·Est. 1965
“A career-focused, technology-oriented university where the overwhelming majority of learning happens online.”
Colorado Technical University (CTU) was founded in 1965 in Colorado Springs and has grown into one of the largest for-profit online universities in the United States, with a total enrollment of roughly 28,852 students and a curriculum built around working adults, career changers, and military-affiliated learners. Although it maintains a physical main campus in Colorado Springs plus a satellite campus in Aurora, about 92% of CTU's students study fully online, and the school is best known for its flexible, competency-based programs in business, cybersecurity, information technology, project management, healthcare management, and criminal justice. CTU emphasizes practical, industry-aligned learning through its proprietary intellipath adaptive-learning platform, which personalizes the pace and content of each course based on what the student already knows. Programs are modular and accelerated, making it possible to earn a bachelor's degree part-time while working full-time. The university has extensive articulation agreements with military training and community colleges, and it is a popular choice among active-duty U.S. service members, veterans, and their families stationed at nearby Peterson Space Force Base, Schriever Space Force Base, and Fort Carson. CTU maintains an open-admission policy at the undergraduate level, meaning a high school diploma or GED is generally sufficient for entry. Prospective students should be aware that CTU is a career-oriented commuter and online school rather than a traditional residential university; there is no on-campus housing, limited Greek life, and the community is overwhelmingly nontraditional. Notably, CTU stopped issuing new I-20s to international students in December 2022, so prospective F-1 applicants from abroad generally cannot enroll at this time.
Visa, OPT, H-1B alumni outcomes, and acceptance rates by country — sourced from FOIA, USCIS H-1B Hub, and DHS SEVIS.
Test Free — No test scores needed — they won't be reviewed even if submitted.
Official SourceRolling Admission
CTU has open admission and multiple start dates per year; no hard deadline.
This university does not consider SAT or ACT scores in admissions.
The deep admissions playbook beyond the headline acceptance rate — round-by-round breakdowns, nationality data, requirements, and contact paths.
Tuition & Fees (All Students)
$12,750
/yr
Beyond the sticker price — every named scholarship, the financial aid policy, need-aware notes, and a personalized net-cost estimate.
How life on campus actually feels — clubs, sports, traditions, housing realities, and how the school integrates with its city.
CTU's largest college, offering degrees ranging from associate to doctoral level in accounting, finance, management, marketing, project management, human resource management, and healthcare management.
Programs in cybersecurity, information technology, software development, and data management, with pathways aligned to industry certifications and designed for working IT professionals.
Offers programs in healthcare administration, health informatics, nursing (RN-to-BSN), and medical assisting for students pursuing careers in health operations and management.
Programs in criminal justice, homeland security, and forensic investigation, with a curriculum shaped by CTU's strong ties to the military and public-safety communities in Colorado Springs.
A smaller college focused on electrical, computer, and systems engineering with practical applications in defense and technology sectors.
4 years
CTU's cybersecurity program aligns with industry certifications (CompTIA, CISSP-track content) and is popular with military and veteran students working in nearby defense and space-force missions.
4 years
A flexible, online-first business degree with concentrations in management, project management, finance, marketing, and human resources, taught through CTU's intellipath adaptive-learning platform.
3 years
A practitioner-oriented doctorate for working professionals, with concentrations in executive leadership, organizational development, and homeland security.
Where alumni go after graduation — top industries, grad-school continuation, and the qualitative outcomes story.
Sticker price (annual, out-of-state): $12,750
Net-cost estimate is US-resident-only — international applicants are typically excluded from need-based aid at most schools and should treat the sticker price as the planning baseline.
