University of Alabama at Birmingham vs. CU Boulder

Should I go to University of Alabama at Birmingham or University of Colorado Boulder? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if University of Alabama at Birmingham 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.

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University of Alabama at Birmingham vs. University of Colorado Boulder comparison
University of Alabama at Birmingham University of Colorado Boulder College 3 College 4
University of Alabama at Birmingham University of Colorado Boulder
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Overview

University of Alabama at Birmingham CU Boulder
Location Birmingham, AL Boulder, CO
Setting Midsize City Small City
Enrollment 21,639 39,585
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #427 #191
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uab.edu colorado.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

University of Alabama at Birmingham CU Boulder
Tuition (In State) $8,832 $11,520
Tuition (Out of State) $21,216 $38,770
Room & Board $13,120 $16,146
Avg Net Price $16,834 $21,836
Avg Grant Aid $11,142 $10,477
% Receiving Grant Aid 93% 57%

Admission

University of Alabama at Birmingham CU Boulder
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 9,947 53,781
Admitted 8,622 43,416
Acceptance Rate 86.7% 80.7%
Enrolled % 25.7% 16.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.82 3.68
Typical High School Grades A- B+
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 23/30 26/32
SAT Range 1200/1410 1160/1390
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jun 1, 2025 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

University of Alabama at Birmingham CU Boulder
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Health Professions (22%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Education (11%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Communication (8%)

Outcomes

University of Alabama at Birmingham CU Boulder
Graduation Rate 45% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,400 $56,900
Making Student Loan Payments 52% 73%
Median Student Loan Debt $21,500 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $222 $201

Diversity

University of Alabama at Birmingham CU Boulder
% Men 37% 55%
% Women 63% 45%
Racial Diversity High Low
HBCU No No
% White 59% 71%
% Black 25% 2%
% Hispanic 3% 11%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 4% 5%
% International 2% 6%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

University of Alabama at Birmingham CU Boulder
% In-State 82% 53%
% Out-of-State 16% 45%

Campus

University of Alabama at Birmingham CU Boulder
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility No Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Colorado Boulder is larger than than University of Alabama at Birmingham based on total student enrollment (39,585 students vs. 21,639 students)

University of Alabama at Birmingham vs. CU Boulder Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, University of Alabama at Birmingham or CU Boulder?

  • University of Colorado Boulder is 30.4% more expensive to attend than University of Alabama at Birmingham for in-state tuition ($11,520.00 vs. $8,832.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 82.7% higher at CU Boulder than University of Alabama at Birmingham ($38,770.00 vs. $21,216.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Alabama at Birmingham than CU Boulder ($16,834 vs. $21,836)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Alabama at Birmingham are 23.1% lower than costs at University of Colorado Boulder ($13,120 vs. $16,146)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Alabama at Birmingham than University of Colorado Boulder (93% vs. 57%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Alabama at Birmingham students is 6.3% larger than aid received University of Colorado Boulder ($11,142 vs. $10,477)

University of Alabama at Birmingham vs. CU Boulder Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Colorado Boulder (1212) is 65 points higher than at University of Alabama at Birmingham (1147)
  • Incoming CU Boulder students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at University of Alabama at Birmingham (25)
  • Accepted freshman University of Alabama at Birmingham students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.82) than students at CU Boulder (3.68)
  • University of Alabama at Birmingham has a higher acceptance rate (86.7%) than CU Boulder (80.7%)

University of Alabama at Birmingham vs. CU Boulder Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, University of Alabama at Birmingham 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 University of Alabama at Birmingham.

  • The graduation rate at CU Boulder is higher than University of Alabama at Birmingham (68% vs. 45%)
  • Graduates from University of Colorado Boulder earn on average $10,500 more per year than University of Alabama at Birmingham graduates after ten years. ($56,900 vs. $46,400)
  • University of Colorado Boulder students graduate with a $2,000 lower median federal student loan debt than University of Alabama at Birmingham graduates. ($19,500 vs. $21,500)
  • CU Boulder graduates are paying $21 less per month on federal student loans than University of Alabama at Birmingham graduates. ($201 vs. $222)
  • More CU Boulder graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former University of Alabama at Birmingham students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 52%)

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