ASU vs. CU Boulder

Should I go to Arizona State University or University of Colorado Boulder? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if ASU or CU Boulder is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Colorado State CU Denver U of A DU Colorado School of Mines Utah UCCS UC Riverside San Diego State UB Penn State UCI
Arizona State University vs. University of Colorado Boulder comparison
Arizona State University University of Colorado Boulder College 3 College 4
Arizona State University University of Colorado Boulder
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

ASU CU Boulder
Location Tempe, AZ Boulder, CO
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 80,065 39,585
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #389 #191
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website asu.edu colorado.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

ASU CU Boulder
Tuition (In State) $10,978 $11,520
Tuition (Out of State) $29,952 $38,770
Room & Board $14,718 $16,146
Avg Net Price $14,808 $21,836
Avg Grant Aid $12,381 $10,477
% Receiving Grant Aid 89% 57%

Admission

ASU CU Boulder
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 68,789 53,781
Admitted 61,739 43,416
Acceptance Rate 89.8% 80.7%
Enrolled % 24.5% 16.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.54 3.68
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Challenging Very High
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/28 26/32
SAT Range 1100/1320 1160/1390
Submit Test Scores Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 15, 2025

Academics

ASU CU Boulder
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • General Studies (8%)
  • Education (7%)
  • Communication (7%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Communication (8%)

Outcomes

ASU CU Boulder
Graduation Rate 57% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $52,600 $56,900
Making Student Loan Payments 57% 73%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,278 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $209 $201

Diversity

ASU CU Boulder
% Men 52% 55%
% Women 48% 45%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 52% 71%
% Black 4% 2%
% Hispanic 19% 11%
% Native American 1% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 5%
% International 12% 6%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

ASU CU Boulder
% In-State 57% 53%
% Out-of-State 36% 45%

Campus

ASU CU Boulder
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes Yes No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Arizona State University is larger than than CU Boulder based on total student enrollment (80,065 students vs. 39,585 students)

ASU vs. CU Boulder Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, ASU or CU Boulder?

  • University of Colorado Boulder is 4.9% more expensive to attend than ASU for in-state tuition ($11,520.00 vs. $10,978.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 29.4% higher at CU Boulder than Arizona State University ($38,770.00 vs. $29,952.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Arizona State University than CU Boulder ($14,808 vs. $21,836)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Arizona State University are 9.7% lower than costs at University of Colorado Boulder ($14,718 vs. $16,146)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Arizona State University than University of Colorado Boulder (89% vs. 57%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Arizona State University students is 18.2% larger than aid received University of Colorado Boulder ($12,381 vs. $10,477)

ASU vs. CU Boulder Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, ASU or CU Boulder? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between CU Boulder or ASU .

  • The average SAT score at University of Colorado Boulder (1212) is 54 points higher than at ASU (1158)
  • Incoming CU Boulder students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at ASU (26)
  • Accepted freshman CU Boulder students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.68) than students at ASU (3.54)
  • ASU has a higher acceptance rate (89.8%) than CU Boulder (80.7%)

ASU vs. CU Boulder Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, ASU or CU Boulder? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between CU Boulder and ASU.

  • The graduation rate at CU Boulder is higher than Arizona State University (68% vs. 57%)
  • Graduates from University of Colorado Boulder earn on average $4,300 more per year than ASU graduates after ten years. ($56,900 vs. $52,600)
  • University of Colorado Boulder students graduate with a $778 lower median federal student loan debt than ASU graduates. ($19,500 vs. $20,278)
  • CU Boulder graduates are paying $8 less per month on federal student loans than ASU graduates. ($201 vs. $209)
  • More CU Boulder graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former ASU students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 57%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/