AP Physics 1 credit at Colorado colleges
Every Colorado college with a published AP Physics 1 credit policy — minimum score, credit hours, and the course it replaces.
18 of 23 Colorado colleges (78%) award credit for AP Physics 1 at a score of 3. 4 require a 4 and 1 requires a 5. The lowest bar in the state is a 3 at University of Colorado Boulder (4 credit hours). 21 of these colleges link to their own policy page below. Captured July 30, 2026.
| College | Min score | Credits | Counts as | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Colorado Boulder Boulder | 3 | 4 | 4 lower-division Arts & Science credits that fulfill the lab portion of and count toward the A&S Gen. Ed. Natural Science requirement and the CMCI Core Natural World requirement | Policy |
| Colorado State University-Fort Collins Fort Collins | 3 | 5 | PH 121 | Policy |
| Metropolitan State University of Denver Denver | 3 | 5 | PHY 2010, 2030 | Policy |
| Front Range Community College Westminster | 3 | 5 | PHY 1111 Physics: Algebra-Based I w/ Lab | Policy |
| University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus Denver | 3 | 4 | PHYS 2999AE | Policy |
| Pikes Peak State College Colorado Springs | 3 | 5 | PHY 1111 Physics: Algebra Based I w/Lab | Policy |
| University of Colorado Colorado Springs Colorado Springs | 3 | 4 | PES 1010 | Policy |
| Colorado Mesa University Grand Junction | 3 | 5 | PHYS 1XX & PHYS 1XXL - ELNL | Policy |
| University of Northern Colorado Greeley | 3 | 5 | PHYS 220 | Policy |
| Red Rocks Community College Lakewood | 3 | 5 | PHY 111 | Policy |
| Aims Community College Greeley | 3 | 5 | PHY 111 | Policy |
| Fort Lewis College Durango | 3 | 4 | PHYS 201 | Policy |
| Colorado State University Pueblo Pueblo | 3 | 4 | PHYS 201/L | Policy |
| Western Colorado University Gunnison | 3 | 4 | PHYS 140 | Policy |
| Adams State University Alamosa | 3 | 5 | PHYS 225 | Policy |
| Morgan Community College Fort Morgan | 3 | 5 | PHY 1111 | — |
| Colorado Northwestern Community College Rangely | 3 | 5 | — | — |
| Naropa University Boulder | 3 | 3 | — | Policy |
| University of Denver Denver | 4 | 5 | PHYS 1111 | Policy |
| Colorado Christian University Lakewood | 4 | 5 | PHY-201, PHY-211, PHY-212 | Policy |
| Regis University Denver | 4 | 4 | PH 202A, PH 205A | Policy |
| Colorado College Colorado Springs | 4 | 1 | PC141, Placement into PC142 | Policy |
| Community College of Denver Denver | 5 | 5 | PHY 111 | Policy |
AP Physics 1 credit in other states
How we ranked this
One row per Colorado college: the lowest score that earns actual credit under the policy that applies to all students, and the largest credit award published at that score. Placement-only policies — permission to skip a course without earning credit hours — are excluded. Credit hours and course equivalents are reproduced exactly as the college published them; “—” means no value was published and we do not estimate one. A page is published for a state only when at least 8 colleges back it.
Frequently asked questions
Which Colorado colleges give credit for AP Physics 1?+
23 colleges in Colorado publish a credit-bearing policy for AP Physics 1. 18 of them (78%) award credit at a score of 3, 4 require a 4, and 1 requires a 5. The full list, with credit hours and the course each exam replaces, is in the table on this page.
What is the lowest AP Physics 1 score that earns credit in Colorado?+
3. University of Colorado Boulder in Boulder awards credit at a score of 3, worth 4 credit hours, counting as 4 lower-division Arts & Science credits that fulfill the lab portion of and count toward the A&S Gen. Ed. Natural Science requirement and the CMCI Core Natural World requirement. 18 Colorado colleges in total set their bar at a 3 or lower.
Does in-state residency change AP credit in Colorado?+
No. AP credit policy is set per institution and applies to admitted students regardless of residency — residency affects tuition rate, not credit awards. What does vary is the school within a university: engineering and nursing colleges commonly set higher bars than arts and sciences. The rules shown here are the ones that apply to all students at each college.
How do I verify these Colorado AP credit policies?+
21 of the 23 colleges on this page link to their own published AP credit page in the Source column; our snapshot was taken July 30, 2026. The college's page is authoritative and can change between admission cycles, so confirm there before building a graduation plan around the credit.
Keep exploring
Data sources: Each college's own published AP / advanced-standing credit page (captured July 30, 2026) · IPEDS institution directory (names, control, location). Figures are the most recent values published in each federal dataset; cells with no published value are shown as “—” and never estimated. CertiHomes Education does not sell rankings or accept placement fees.