CU Boulder vs. Florida State

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

 CU Boulder Florida State
Location Boulder, CO Tallahassee, FL
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 39,585 44,161
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #191 #199
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website colorado.edu fsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 CU Boulder Florida State
Tuition (In State) $11,520 $4,022
Tuition (Out of State) $38,770 $16,540
Room & Board $16,146 $11,592
Avg Net Price $21,836 $14,003
Avg Grant Aid $10,477 $10,169
% Receiving Grant Aid 57% 89%

Admission

 CU Boulder Florida State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 53,781 78,088
Admitted 43,416 19,552
Acceptance Rate 80.7% 25%
Enrolled % 16.4% 30.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.68 3.7
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition High
ACT Range 26/32 26/31
SAT Range 1160/1390 1210/1370
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Jan 15, 2025 Mar 1, 2025

Academics

 CU Boulder Florida State
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (19%)
  • Psychology (5%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (5%)
  • Work and Family Studies (5%)

Outcomes

 CU Boulder Florida State
Graduation Rate 68% 74%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $56,900 $51,400
Making Student Loan Payments 73% 63%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,500 $20,750
Median Loan Payment $201 $214

Diversity

 CU Boulder Florida State
% Men 55% 42%
% Women 45% 58%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 71% 64%
% Black 2% 8%
% Hispanic 11% 19%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 6% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 CU Boulder Florida State
% In-State 53% 85%
% Out-of-State 45% 14%

Campus

 CU Boulder Florida 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

  • Florida State University is larger than than CU Boulder based on total student enrollment (44,161 students vs. 39,585 students)

CU Boulder vs. Florida State Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CU Boulder or Florida State?

  • University of Colorado Boulder is 186.4% more expensive to attend than Florida State for in-state tuition ($11,520.00 vs. $4,022.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 134.4% higher at CU Boulder than Florida State University ($38,770.00 vs. $16,540.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Florida State University than CU Boulder ($14,003 vs. $21,836)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Florida State University are 39.3% lower than costs at University of Colorado Boulder ($11,592 vs. $16,146)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Florida State University than University of Colorado Boulder (89% vs. 57%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Colorado Boulder students is 3% larger than aid received Florida State University ($10,477 vs. $10,169)

CU Boulder vs. Florida State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Florida State University (1215) is 3 points higher than at CU Boulder (1212)
  • Incoming CU Boulder students have at the same average ACT score (27) as students at Florida State (27)
  • Accepted freshman Florida State students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at CU Boulder (3.68)
  • CU Boulder has a higher acceptance rate (80.7%) than Florida State (25%)

CU Boulder vs. Florida State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CU Boulder or Florida 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 Florida State and CU Boulder.

  • The graduation rate at Florida State is higher than University of Colorado Boulder (74% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from University of Colorado Boulder earn on average $5,500 more per year than Florida State graduates after ten years. ($56,900 vs. $51,400)
  • University of Colorado Boulder students graduate with a $1,250 lower median federal student loan debt than Florida State graduates. ($19,500 vs. $20,750)
  • CU Boulder graduates are paying $13 less per month on federal student loans than Florida State graduates. ($201 vs. $214)
  • More CU Boulder graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Florida State students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 63%)

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