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Colorado State CU Denver University at Albany- SUNY SUNY Stony Brook DU Colorado School of Mines Binghamton University Utah Penn State UCCS State University of New York at New Paltz SUNY at Geneseo| University of Colorado Boulder | University at Buffalo | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
CU Boulder | UB | ||
| Location | Boulder, CO | Buffalo, NY | ||
| Setting | Small City | Large Suburban | ||
| Enrollment | 41,432 | 31,889 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #197 | #101 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | colorado.edu | buffalo.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
CU Boulder | UB | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $14,784 | $7,070 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $40,297 | $26,860 | ||
| Room & Board | $16,950 | $16,754 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $22,640 | $20,511 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $10,838 | $9,996 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 54% | 74% |
Admission |
CU Boulder | UB | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 56,069 | 38,210 | ||
| Admitted | 46,692 | 26,481 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 83.3% | 69.3% | ||
| Enrolled % | 16.2% | 16.1% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.68 | 3.75 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Very High | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 28/33 | 27/32 | ||
| SAT Range | 1230/1420 | 1210/1380 | ||
| 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, 2026 |
Academics |
CU Boulder | UB | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 19:1 | 11:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
CU Boulder | UB | ||
| Graduation Rate | 68% | 71% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $56,900 | $58,400 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 73% | 70% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $19,500 | $19,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $201 | $201 |
Diversity |
CU Boulder | UB | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 14% | 17% | ||
| % Women | 9% | 19% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 71% | 48% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 7% | ||
| % Hispanic | 11% | 6% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 2% | ||
| % International | 6% | 16% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 5% |
Students |
CU Boulder | UB | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 53% | 88% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 45% | 3% | ||
Campus |
CU Boulder | UB | ||
| 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 UB based on total student enrollment (41,432 students vs. 31,889 students)
CU Boulder vs. UB Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, CU Boulder or UB?
- University of Colorado Boulder is 109.1% more expensive to attend than UB for in-state tuition ($14,784.00 vs. $7,070.00)
- Out of state tuition is 50% higher at CU Boulder than University at Buffalo ($40,297.00 vs. $26,860.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University at Buffalo than CU Boulder ($20,511 vs. $22,640)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University at Buffalo are 1.2% lower than costs at University of Colorado Boulder ($16,754 vs. $16,950)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University at Buffalo than University of Colorado Boulder (74% vs. 54%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of Colorado Boulder students is 8.4% larger than aid received University at Buffalo ($10,838 vs. $9,996)
CU Boulder vs. UB Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, CU Boulder or UB? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UB or CU Boulder .
- The average SAT score at University of Colorado Boulder (1212) is 39 points higher than at UB (1173)
- Incoming CU Boulder students have at the same average ACT score (27) as students at UB (27)
- Accepted freshman UB students have a 0.07 point higher average high school GPA (3.75) than students at CU Boulder (3.68)
- CU Boulder has a higher acceptance rate (83.3%) than UB (69.3%)
CU Boulder vs. UB Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, CU Boulder or UB? 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 UB and CU Boulder.
- The graduation rate at UB is higher than University of Colorado Boulder (71% vs. 68%)
- Graduates from University at Buffalo earn on average $1,500 more per year than CU Boulder graduates after ten years. ($58,400 vs. $56,900)
- University at Buffalo and CU Boulder graduates both have the same median student loan debt upon graduation ($19,500 vs. $19,500)
- University at Buffalo and CU Boulder graduates both have a median monthly student loan payment upon graduation ($201 vs. $201)
- More CU Boulder graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UB students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 70%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/