CU Boulder vs. ISU

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

CU Boulder ISU
Location Boulder, CO Ames, IA
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 39,585 29,969
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #191 #352
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website colorado.edu iastate.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

CU Boulder ISU
Tuition (In State) $11,520 $8,678
Tuition (Out of State) $38,770 $25,162
Room & Board $16,146 $9,358
Avg Net Price $21,836 $15,310
Avg Grant Aid $10,477 $11,043
% Receiving Grant Aid 57% 80%

Admission

CU Boulder ISU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 53,781 21,919
Admitted 43,416 19,776
Acceptance Rate 80.7% 90.2%
Enrolled % 16.4% 29%
Avg High School GPA 3.68 3.7
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Very High Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 26/32 21/28
SAT Range 1160/1390 1090/1350
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 ISU
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Engineering (17%)
  • Agriculture (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (7%)
  • Communication (5%)

Outcomes

CU Boulder ISU
Graduation Rate 68% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $56,900 $53,700
Making Student Loan Payments 73% 74%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,500 $23,868
Median Loan Payment $201 $246

Diversity

CU Boulder ISU
% Men 55% 55%
% Women 45% 45%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 71% 76%
% Black 2% 3%
% Hispanic 11% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 2%
% International 6% 7%
% Unknown Race 1% 5%

Students

CU Boulder ISU
% In-State 53% 52%
% Out-of-State 45% 45%

Campus

CU Boulder ISU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No Yes
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Colorado Boulder is larger than than ISU based on total student enrollment (39,585 students vs. 29,969 students)

CU Boulder vs. ISU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CU Boulder or ISU?

  • University of Colorado Boulder is 32.7% more expensive to attend than ISU for in-state tuition ($11,520.00 vs. $8,678.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 54.1% higher at CU Boulder than Iowa State University ($38,770.00 vs. $25,162.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Iowa State University than CU Boulder ($15,310 vs. $21,836)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Iowa State University are 72.5% lower than costs at University of Colorado Boulder ($9,358 vs. $16,146)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Iowa State University than University of Colorado Boulder (80% vs. 57%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Iowa State University students is 5.4% larger than aid received University of Colorado Boulder ($11,043 vs. $10,477)

CU Boulder vs. ISU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Colorado Boulder (1212) is 70 points higher than at ISU (1142)
  • Incoming CU Boulder students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at ISU (25)
  • Accepted freshman ISU students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.7) than students at CU Boulder (3.68)
  • ISU has a higher acceptance rate (90.2%) than CU Boulder (80.7%)

CU Boulder vs. ISU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CU Boulder or ISU? 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 ISU and CU Boulder.

  • The graduation rate at CU Boulder is the same as at Iowa State University (68% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from University of Colorado Boulder earn on average $3,200 more per year than ISU graduates after ten years. ($56,900 vs. $53,700)
  • University of Colorado Boulder students graduate with a $4,368 lower median federal student loan debt than ISU graduates. ($19,500 vs. $23,868)
  • CU Boulder graduates are paying $45 less per month on federal student loans than ISU graduates. ($201 vs. $246)
  • More ISU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CU Boulder students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 73%)

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