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Colorado State Purdue CU Denver DU Colorado School of Mines Utah Iowa Michigan State UCCS Miami Kentucky Wisconsin| University of Colorado Boulder | Indiana University Bloomington | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
CU Boulder | IU | ||
| Location | Boulder, CO | Bloomington, IN | ||
| Setting | Small City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 41,432 | 47,527 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #197 | #209 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | colorado.edu | iub.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
CU Boulder | IU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $14,784 | $10,312 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $40,297 | $39,004 | ||
| Room & Board | $16,950 | $13,380 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $22,640 | $16,282 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $10,838 | $9,857 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 54% | 74% |
Admission |
CU Boulder | IU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 56,069 | 54,279 | ||
| Admitted | 46,692 | 43,624 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 83.3% | 80.4% | ||
| Enrolled % | 16.2% | 21.9% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.68 | 3.74 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Very High | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 28/33 | 27/32 | ||
| SAT Range | 1230/1420 | 1170/1400 | ||
| 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 |
Academics |
CU Boulder | IU | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 19:1 | 18:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
CU Boulder | IU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 68% | 72% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $56,900 | $56,200 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 73% | 72% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $19,500 | $22,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $201 | $232 |
Diversity |
CU Boulder | IU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 14% | 12% | ||
| % Women | 9% | 11% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 71% | 71% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 4% | ||
| % Hispanic | 11% | 5% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 4% | ||
| % International | 6% | 11% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 0% |
Students |
CU Boulder | IU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 53% | 54% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 45% | 41% | ||
Campus |
CU Boulder | IU | ||
| 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
- Indiana University Bloomington is larger than than CU Boulder based on total student enrollment (47,527 students vs. 41,432 students)
CU Boulder vs. IU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, CU Boulder or IU?
- University of Colorado Boulder is 43.4% more expensive to attend than IU for in-state tuition ($14,784.00 vs. $10,312.00)
- Out of state tuition is 3.3% higher at CU Boulder than Indiana University Bloomington ($40,297.00 vs. $39,004.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Indiana University Bloomington than CU Boulder ($16,282 vs. $22,640)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Indiana University Bloomington are 26.7% lower than costs at University of Colorado Boulder ($13,380 vs. $16,950)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Indiana University Bloomington than University of Colorado Boulder (74% vs. 54%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of Colorado Boulder students is 10% larger than aid received Indiana University Bloomington ($10,838 vs. $9,857)
CU Boulder vs. IU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, CU Boulder or IU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between IU or CU Boulder .
- The average SAT score at University of Colorado Boulder (1212) is 13 points higher than at IU (1199)
- Incoming CU Boulder students have at the same average ACT score (27) as students at IU (27)
- Accepted freshman IU students have a 0.06 point higher average high school GPA (3.74) than students at CU Boulder (3.68)
- CU Boulder has a higher acceptance rate (83.3%) than IU (80.4%)
CU Boulder vs. IU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, CU Boulder or IU? 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 IU and CU Boulder.
- The graduation rate at IU is higher than University of Colorado Boulder (72% vs. 68%)
- Graduates from University of Colorado Boulder earn on average $700 more per year than IU graduates after ten years. ($56,900 vs. $56,200)
- University of Colorado Boulder students graduate with a $3,000 lower median federal student loan debt than IU graduates. ($19,500 vs. $22,500)
- CU Boulder graduates are paying $31 less per month on federal student loans than IU graduates. ($201 vs. $232)
- More CU Boulder graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former IU students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 72%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/