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CU Denver DU Colorado School of Mines Utah UCCS MSU OSU Penn State ASU IU Texas A&M UO| University of Colorado Boulder | Colorado State University Fort Collins | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
CU Boulder | Colorado State | ||
| Location | Boulder, CO | Fort Collins, CO | ||
| Setting | Small City | Midsize City | ||
| Enrollment | 39,585 | 33,403 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #191 | #359 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | colorado.edu | colostate.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
CU Boulder | Colorado State | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $11,520 | $10,218 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $38,770 | $30,078 | ||
| Room & Board | $16,146 | $13,728 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $21,836 | $16,926 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $10,477 | $10,727 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 57% | 74% |
Admission |
CU Boulder | Colorado State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 53,781 | 33,122 | ||
| Admitted | 43,416 | 30,066 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 80.7% | 90.8% | ||
| Enrolled % | 16.4% | 18.5% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.68 | 3.68 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Challenging | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 26/32 | 23/29 | ||
| SAT Range | 1160/1390 | 1080/1290 | ||
| 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 | Jan 15, 2025 | Jul 1, 2025 |
Academics |
CU Boulder | Colorado State | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 18:1 | 17:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
CU Boulder | Colorado State | ||
| Graduation Rate | 68% | 64% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $56,900 | $51,800 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 73% | 69% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $19,500 | $21,004 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $201 | $217 |
Diversity |
CU Boulder | Colorado State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 55% | 45% | ||
| % Women | 45% | 55% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 71% | 74% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 2% | ||
| % Hispanic | 11% | 11% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 2% | ||
| % International | 6% | 3% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 4% |
Students |
CU Boulder | Colorado State | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 53% | 59% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 45% | 40% | ||
Campus |
CU Boulder | Colorado State | ||
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | ||
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | ||
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | ||
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | ||
| Daycare Facility | Yes | Yes | ||
| Learn More | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- University of Colorado Boulder is larger than than Colorado State based on total student enrollment (39,585 students vs. 33,403 students)
CU Boulder vs. Colorado State Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, CU Boulder or Colorado State?
- University of Colorado Boulder is 12.7% more expensive to attend than Colorado State for in-state tuition ($11,520.00 vs. $10,218.00)
- Out of state tuition is 28.9% higher at CU Boulder than Colorado State University Fort Collins ($38,770.00 vs. $30,078.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Colorado State University Fort Collins than CU Boulder ($16,926 vs. $21,836)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Colorado State University Fort Collins are 17.6% lower than costs at University of Colorado Boulder ($13,728 vs. $16,146)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Colorado State University Fort Collins than University of Colorado Boulder (74% vs. 57%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Colorado State University Fort Collins students is 2.4% larger than aid received University of Colorado Boulder ($10,727 vs. $10,477)
CU Boulder vs. Colorado State Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, CU Boulder or Colorado State? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Colorado State or CU Boulder .
- The average SAT score at University of Colorado Boulder (1212) is 67 points higher than at Colorado State (1145)
- Incoming CU Boulder students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at Colorado State (25)
- Accepted freshman CU Boulder students have at the same average high school GPA (3.68) as students at Colorado State (3.68)
- Colorado State has a higher acceptance rate (90.8%) than CU Boulder (80.7%)
CU Boulder vs. Colorado State Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, CU Boulder or Colorado State? 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 Colorado State and CU Boulder.
- The graduation rate at CU Boulder is higher than Colorado State University Fort Collins (68% vs. 64%)
- Graduates from University of Colorado Boulder earn on average $5,100 more per year than Colorado State graduates after ten years. ($56,900 vs. $51,800)
- University of Colorado Boulder students graduate with a $1,504 lower median federal student loan debt than Colorado State graduates. ($19,500 vs. $21,004)
- CU Boulder graduates are paying $16 less per month on federal student loans than Colorado State graduates. ($201 vs. $217)
- More CU Boulder graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Colorado State students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 69%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/