Graduate degrees can boost earnings by 20%

Today's labor market is tight and unpredictable.

The challenge: Major shifts in business operations, hiring, technology and revenue are making it harder than ever for candidates to stand out, no matter their industry.

The solution: Graduate programs with strong experiential learning models can directly impact success when seeking career advancements or changing fields.

• Workers with graduate degrees see an average of 20% higher earnings and overall lower unemployment rates.

The University of Denver (DU) offers programs that combine academic rigor with real-world applications in flexible formats to help students grow professionally and personally.

Key numbers:

• 50%: The percentage of students enrolled in graduate programs on DU's campus.
• $58 million: The amount of scholarships and grants awarded to graduate students at DU.
• 91%: The full-time employment or continued education rate for all DU graduate students within six months of graduation.
• 4: The number of key dimensions of every DU education, including deepening intellect, well-being development, character discovery and purposeful careers and lives.
• 200+: Total graduate programs offered at DU.

Some examples:

🧠 Master's Degree in Counseling and Psychology

Many students in this program work toward licensure in Colorado and other states, and graduates enter an industry with a projected 18% growth from 2022–2032.

• Plus, 100% of admitted students receive tuition assistance.

💬 Online MA in Communication Management

Tech companies are investing heavily in communicators who can translate complex ideas into effective messaging — with top salaries reaching the multi-six-figures at major orgs.

• Students can complete this program on their own asynchronous schedule in as little as 18 months, letting new enrollees capitalize on the market with speed.

🧑‍⚖️ Juris Doctor at the University of Denver Sturm College of Law

DU offers a No. 17-ranked part-time JD program that meets on weekends and online, with certificates in animal, constitutional, corporate and commercial, environmental, IP, international and workplace law.

• 67% of the fall 2025 entering class received scholarships ranging from $18,000 to full tuition and stipends.
• Even better: Upon graduation in 2024, new lawyers earned a mean salary of $110,506.

Here's what else: Every DU graduate program offers real-world learning opportunities through internships, clinical experiences or applied research opportunities.

• Located just south of Downtown Denver, the private R1 university also gives students access to one of the country's fastest-growing metro economies and employer partnerships across Colorado.

Next steps: Boost your career or make a change with a graduate program at DU where you can gain the skills, experience and connections you need to succeed — in a way that fits your professional and academic goals.

Take the next step in your career.