CU Boulder vs. Penn State

Should I go to University of Colorado Boulder or Penn State Main Campus? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if CU Boulder or Penn 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.
Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Colorado State CU Denver Virginia Tech UD DU Rutgers UConn Colorado School of Mines Pitt UMass Utah UB
University of Colorado Boulder vs. Penn State Main Campus comparison
University of Colorado Boulder Penn State Main Campus College 3 College 4
University of Colorado Boulder Penn State Main Campus
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

 CU Boulder Penn State
Location Boulder, CO University Park, PA
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 39,585 50,028
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #191 #167
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website colorado.edu psu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 CU Boulder Penn State
Tuition (In State) $11,520 $18,368
Tuition (Out of State) $38,770 $35,946
Room & Board $16,146 $12,744
Avg Net Price $21,836 $26,747
Avg Grant Aid $10,477 $10,066
% Receiving Grant Aid 57% 44%

Admission

 CU Boulder Penn State
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 53,781 85,784
Admitted 43,416 47,360
Acceptance Rate 80.7% 55.2%
Enrolled % 16.4% 19.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.68 -
Typical High School Grades B+ -
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 26/32 26/31
SAT Range 1160/1390 1210/1390
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 Penn State
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 15:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Engineering (12%)
  • Communication (9%)
  • Computer and Information Sciences (7%)
  • Social Sciences (7%)

Outcomes

 CU Boulder Penn State
Graduation Rate 68% 87%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $56,900 $55,300
Making Student Loan Payments 73% 69%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,500 $26,818
Median Loan Payment $201 $277

Diversity

 CU Boulder Penn State
% Men 55% 53%
% Women 45% 47%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 71% 69%
% Black 2% 4%
% Hispanic 11% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 6% 11%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

 CU Boulder Penn State
% In-State 53% 51%
% Out-of-State 45% 40%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • Penn State Main Campus is larger than than CU Boulder based on total student enrollment (50,028 students vs. 39,585 students)

CU Boulder vs. Penn State Cost Comparison

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

  • Penn State Main Campus is 59.4% more expensive to attend than CU Boulder for in-state tuition ($18,368.00 vs. $11,520.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 7.9% higher at CU Boulder than Penn State Main Campus ($38,770.00 vs. $35,946.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Colorado Boulder than Penn State ($21,836 vs. $26,747)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Penn State Main Campus are 26.7% lower than costs at University of Colorado Boulder ($12,744 vs. $16,146)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Colorado Boulder than Penn State Main Campus (57% vs. 44%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Colorado Boulder students is 4.1% larger than aid received Penn State Main Campus ($10,477 vs. $10,066)

CU Boulder vs. Penn State Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Colorado Boulder (1212) is 10 points higher than at Penn State (1202)
  • Incoming CU Boulder students have at the same average ACT score (27) as students at Penn State (27)
  • CU Boulder has a higher acceptance rate (80.7%) than Penn State (55.2%)

CU Boulder vs. Penn State Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Penn State is higher than University of Colorado Boulder (87% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from University of Colorado Boulder earn on average $1,600 more per year than Penn State graduates after ten years. ($56,900 vs. $55,300)
  • University of Colorado Boulder students graduate with a $7,318 lower median federal student loan debt than Penn State graduates. ($19,500 vs. $26,818)
  • CU Boulder graduates are paying $76 less per month on federal student loans than Penn State graduates. ($201 vs. $277)
  • More CU Boulder graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Penn State students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 69%)

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