CU Boulder vs. UT Dallas

Should I go to University of Colorado Boulder or The University of Texas at Dallas? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if CU Boulder or UT Dallas 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 UT Austin CU Denver UT Arlington UNT UH DU Colorado School of Mines Utah Texas Tech UCCS Texas A&M
University of Colorado Boulder vs. The University of Texas at Dallas comparison
University of Colorado Boulder The University of Texas at Dallas College 3 College 4
University of Colorado Boulder The University of Texas at Dallas
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

CU Boulder UT Dallas
Location Boulder, CO Richardson, TX
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 39,585 31,570
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #191 #295
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website colorado.edu utdallas.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

CU Boulder UT Dallas
Tuition (In State) $11,520 $14,564
Tuition (Out of State) $38,770 $39,776
Room & Board $16,146 $12,142
Avg Net Price $21,836 $13,555
Avg Grant Aid $10,477 $14,858
% Receiving Grant Aid 57% 66%

Admission

CU Boulder UT Dallas
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 53,781 21,500
Admitted 43,416 18,220
Acceptance Rate 80.7% 84.7%
Enrolled % 16.4% 23.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.68 3.78
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 26/32 24/32
SAT Range 1160/1390 1170/1430
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 May 1, 2025

Academics

CU Boulder UT Dallas
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 27:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Business (32%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • General Studies (8%)

Outcomes

CU Boulder UT Dallas
Graduation Rate 68% 61%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $56,900 $59,000
Making Student Loan Payments 73% 64%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,500 $18,750
Median Loan Payment $201 $193

Diversity

CU Boulder UT Dallas
% Men 55% 57%
% Women 45% 43%
Racial Diversity Low Very High
HBCU No No
% White 71% 37%
% Black 2% 6%
% Hispanic 11% 18%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 6% 3%
% Unknown Race 1% 2%

Students

CU Boulder UT Dallas
% In-State 53% 92%
% Out-of-State 45% 6%

Campus

CU Boulder UT Dallas
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

  • University of Colorado Boulder is larger than than UT Dallas based on total student enrollment (39,585 students vs. 31,570 students)

CU Boulder vs. UT Dallas Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CU Boulder or UT Dallas?

  • The University of Texas at Dallas is 26.4% more expensive to attend than CU Boulder for in-state tuition ($14,564.00 vs. $11,520.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2.6% higher at UT Dallas than University of Colorado Boulder ($39,776.00 vs. $38,770.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at The University of Texas at Dallas than CU Boulder ($13,555 vs. $21,836)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at The University of Texas at Dallas are 33% lower than costs at University of Colorado Boulder ($12,142 vs. $16,146)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at The University of Texas at Dallas than University of Colorado Boulder (66% vs. 57%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by The University of Texas at Dallas students is 41.8% larger than aid received University of Colorado Boulder ($14,858 vs. $10,477)

CU Boulder vs. UT Dallas Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at The University of Texas at Dallas (1265) is 53 points higher than at CU Boulder (1212)
  • Incoming UT Dallas students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at CU Boulder (27)
  • Accepted freshman UT Dallas students have a 0.1 point higher average high school GPA (3.78) than students at CU Boulder (3.68)
  • UT Dallas has a higher acceptance rate (84.7%) than CU Boulder (80.7%)

CU Boulder vs. UT Dallas Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CU Boulder or UT Dallas? 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 UT Dallas and CU Boulder.

  • The graduation rate at CU Boulder is higher than The University of Texas at Dallas (68% vs. 61%)
  • Graduates from The University of Texas at Dallas earn on average $2,100 more per year than CU Boulder graduates after ten years. ($59,000 vs. $56,900)
  • The University of Texas at Dallas students graduate with a $750 lower median federal student loan debt than CU Boulder graduates. ($18,750 vs. $19,500)
  • UT Dallas graduates are paying $8 less per month on federal student loans than CU Boulder graduates. ($193 vs. $201)
  • More CU Boulder graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UT Dallas students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 64%)

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