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Iowa Colorado State CU Denver DU Colorado School of Mines Utah UCCS Michigan State Purdue Nebraska UIC Minnesota| University of Colorado Boulder | Iowa State University | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
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 | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 18:1 | 18:1 | ||
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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/