CU Boulder vs. City College of New York

Should I go to University of Colorado Boulder or CUNY City College? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if CU Boulder or City College of New York 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 Colorado Boulder vs. CUNY City College comparison
University of Colorado Boulder CUNY City College College 3 College 4
University of Colorado Boulder CUNY City College
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Overview

CU Boulder City College of New York
Location Boulder, CO New York, NY
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 41,432 15,012
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #197 #276
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website colorado.edu cuny.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

CU Boulder City College of New York
Tuition (In State) $14,784 $6,930
Tuition (Out of State) $40,297 $14,880
Room & Board $16,950 $18,104
Avg Net Price $22,640 $4,599
Avg Grant Aid $10,838 $9,236
% Receiving Grant Aid 54% 86%

Admission

CU Boulder City College of New York
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 56,069 31,988
Admitted 46,692 18,576
Acceptance Rate 83.3% 58.1%
Enrolled % 16.2% 14.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.68 3.2
Typical High School Grades B+ B
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 28/33
SAT Range 1230/1420 1220/1460
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, 2026 Feb 1, 2026

Academics

CU Boulder City College of New York
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 14:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (15%)
  • Engineering (13%)
  • Social Sciences (13%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (11%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)

Outcomes

CU Boulder City College of New York
Graduation Rate 68% 40%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $56,900 $49,800
Making Student Loan Payments 73% 52%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,500 $11,400
Median Loan Payment $201 $117

Diversity

CU Boulder City College of New York
% Men 14% 7%
% Women 9% 11%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 71% 15%
% Black 2% 16%
% Hispanic 11% 35%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 2%
% International 6% 6%
% Unknown Race 1% 0%

Students

CU Boulder City College of New York
% In-State 53% 87%
% Out-of-State 45% 0%

Campus

CU Boulder City College of New York
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes No
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Colorado Boulder is larger than than City College of New York based on total student enrollment (41,432 students vs. 15,012 students)

CU Boulder vs. City College of New York Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CU Boulder or City College of New York?

  • University of Colorado Boulder is 113.3% more expensive to attend than City College of New York for in-state tuition ($14,784.00 vs. $6,930.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 170.8% higher at CU Boulder than CUNY City College ($40,297.00 vs. $14,880.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at CUNY City College than CU Boulder ($4,599 vs. $22,640)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Colorado Boulder are 6.8% lower than costs at CUNY City College ($16,950 vs. $18,104)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at CUNY City College than University of Colorado Boulder (86% vs. 54%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Colorado Boulder students is 17.3% larger than aid received CUNY City College ($10,838 vs. $9,236)

CU Boulder vs. City College of New York Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Colorado Boulder (1212) is 87 points higher than at City College of New York (1125)
  • Accepted freshman CU Boulder students have a 0.48 point higher average high school GPA (3.68) than students at City College of New York (3.2)
  • CU Boulder has a higher acceptance rate (83.3%) than City College of New York (58.1%)

CU Boulder vs. City College of New York Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CU Boulder or City College of New York? 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 City College of New York and CU Boulder.

  • The graduation rate at CU Boulder is higher than CUNY City College (68% vs. 40%)
  • Graduates from University of Colorado Boulder earn on average $7,100 more per year than City College of New York graduates after ten years. ($56,900 vs. $49,800)
  • CUNY City College students graduate with a $8,100 lower median federal student loan debt than CU Boulder graduates. ($11,400 vs. $19,500)
  • City College of New York graduates are paying $84 less per month on federal student loans than CU Boulder graduates. ($117 vs. $201)
  • More CU Boulder graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former City College of New York 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/