CU Boulder vs. Colorado State

Should I go to University of Colorado Boulder or Colorado State University Fort Collins? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if CU Boulder or Colorado State 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. 

CU Denver DU Colorado School of Mines Utah UCCS MSU OSU Penn State ASU IU Texas A&M UO
University of Colorado Boulder vs. Colorado State University Fort Collins comparison
University of Colorado Boulder Colorado State University Fort Collins College 3 College 4
University of Colorado Boulder Colorado State University Fort Collins
Remove Remove +Add +Add

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
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
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Work and Family Studies (10%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Communication (7%)

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/