CU Boulder vs. IU

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

Colorado State Purdue CU Denver DU Colorado School of Mines Utah Iowa Michigan State UCCS Miami Kentucky Wisconsin
University of Colorado Boulder vs. Indiana University Bloomington comparison
University of Colorado Boulder Indiana University Bloomington College 3 College 4
University of Colorado Boulder Indiana University Bloomington
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

CU Boulder IU
Location Boulder, CO Bloomington, IN
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 39,585 47,005
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #191 #200
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website colorado.edu iub.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

CU Boulder IU
Tuition (In State) $11,520 $10,012
Tuition (Out of State) $38,770 $37,685
Room & Board $16,146 $12,228
Avg Net Price $21,836 $16,234
Avg Grant Aid $10,477 $10,336
% Receiving Grant Aid 57% 74%

Admission

CU Boulder IU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 53,781 50,080
Admitted 43,416 41,272
Acceptance Rate 80.7% 82.4%
Enrolled % 16.4% 23.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.68 3.74
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 26/32 27/32
SAT Range 1160/1390 1180/1400
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, 2025

Academics

CU Boulder IU
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Business (21%)
  • Communication (10%)
  • Social Sciences (8%)
  • Recreation, Leisure and Fitness Studies (8%)
  • Education (7%)

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 55% 51%
% Women 45% 49%
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% 51%
% Out-of-State 45% 42%

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 (47,005 students vs. 39,585 students)

CU Boulder vs. IU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CU Boulder or IU?

  • University of Colorado Boulder is 15.1% more expensive to attend than IU for in-state tuition ($11,520.00 vs. $10,012.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2.9% higher at CU Boulder than Indiana University Bloomington ($38,770.00 vs. $37,685.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Indiana University Bloomington than CU Boulder ($16,234 vs. $21,836)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Indiana University Bloomington are 32% lower than costs at University of Colorado Boulder ($12,228 vs. $16,146)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Indiana University Bloomington than University of Colorado Boulder (74% vs. 57%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Colorado Boulder students is 1.4% larger than aid received Indiana University Bloomington ($10,477 vs. $10,336)

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)
  • IU has a higher acceptance rate (82.4%) than CU Boulder (80.7%)

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/