CU Denver was officially founded in 1973. Located in downtown Denver’s central business district, CU Denver brings together innovation, research, and learning in the heart of a global city. CU Denver, a selective admissions institution, is the state’s premier public urban research university with more than 100 in-demand, top-ranked bachelors, master’s, and doctoral degree programs. As part of the state’s largest public university system, University of Colorado, CU Denver is a major contributor to the Colorado economy, with 1,900 employees, an annual budget of $394 million, and annual economic impact exceeding $684 million.