CU Boulder vs. UCF

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

CU Boulder UCF
Location Boulder, CO Orlando, FL
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 39,585 68,346
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #191 #379
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website colorado.edu ucf.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

CU Boulder UCF
Tuition (In State) $11,520 $4,478
Tuition (Out of State) $38,770 $19,810
Room & Board $16,146 $11,498
Avg Net Price $21,836 $13,108
Avg Grant Aid $10,477 $9,986
% Receiving Grant Aid 57% 93%

Admission

CU Boulder UCF
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 53,781 54,977
Admitted 43,416 22,560
Acceptance Rate 80.7% 41%
Enrolled % 16.4% 33.3%
Avg High School GPA 3.68 3.64
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very High Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 26/32 25/29
SAT Range 1160/1390 1200/1360
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Jan 15, 2025 May 1, 2025

Academics

CU Boulder UCF
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 29:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Business (25%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Education (8%)
  • Engineering (5%)

Outcomes

CU Boulder UCF
Graduation Rate 68% 63%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $56,900 $48,900
Making Student Loan Payments 73% 59%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,500 $18,270
Median Loan Payment $201 $188

Diversity

CU Boulder UCF
% Men 55% 45%
% Women 45% 55%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 71% 53%
% Black 2% 11%
% Hispanic 11% 24%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 6% 1%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

CU Boulder UCF
% In-State 53% 91%
% Out-of-State 45% 9%

Campus

CU Boulder UCF
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 Central Florida is larger than than CU Boulder based on total student enrollment (68,346 students vs. 39,585 students)

CU Boulder vs. UCF Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CU Boulder or UCF?

  • University of Colorado Boulder is 157.3% more expensive to attend than UCF for in-state tuition ($11,520.00 vs. $4,478.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 95.7% higher at CU Boulder than University of Central Florida ($38,770.00 vs. $19,810.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Central Florida than CU Boulder ($13,108 vs. $21,836)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Central Florida are 40.4% lower than costs at University of Colorado Boulder ($11,498 vs. $16,146)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Central Florida than University of Colorado Boulder (93% vs. 57%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Colorado Boulder students is 4.9% larger than aid received University of Central Florida ($10,477 vs. $9,986)

CU Boulder vs. UCF Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Colorado Boulder (1212) is 33 points higher than at UCF (1179)
  • Incoming CU Boulder students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at UCF (26)
  • Accepted freshman CU Boulder students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.68) than students at UCF (3.64)
  • CU Boulder has a higher acceptance rate (80.7%) than UCF (41%)

CU Boulder vs. UCF Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at CU Boulder is higher than University of Central Florida (68% vs. 63%)
  • Graduates from University of Colorado Boulder earn on average $8,000 more per year than UCF graduates after ten years. ($56,900 vs. $48,900)
  • University of Central Florida students graduate with a $1,230 lower median federal student loan debt than CU Boulder graduates. ($18,270 vs. $19,500)
  • UCF graduates are paying $13 less per month on federal student loans than CU Boulder graduates. ($188 vs. $201)
  • More CU Boulder graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UCF students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 59%)

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