CU Boulder vs. UC

Should I go to University of Colorado Boulder or University of Cincinnati Main Campus? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if CU Boulder or UC 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 Cincinnati Main Campus comparison
University of Colorado Boulder University of Cincinnati Main Campus College 3 College 4
University of Colorado Boulder University of Cincinnati Main Campus
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Overview

CU Boulder UC
Location Boulder, CO Cincinnati, OH
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 39,585 41,155
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #191 #413
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website colorado.edu uc.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

CU Boulder UC
Tuition (In State) $11,520 $11,498
Tuition (Out of State) $38,770 $26,862
Room & Board $16,146 $12,852
Avg Net Price $21,836 $20,149
Avg Grant Aid $10,477 $8,733
% Receiving Grant Aid 57% 64%

Admission

CU Boulder UC
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 53,781 29,025
Admitted 43,416 25,024
Acceptance Rate 80.7% 86.2%
Enrolled % 16.4% 25.5%
Avg High School GPA 3.68 3.69
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very High Difficult
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 26/32 24/29
SAT Range 1160/1390 1160/1360
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 Mar 1, 2025

Academics

CU Boulder UC
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Health Professions (16%)
  • Business (15%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Education (9%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (9%)

Outcomes

CU Boulder UC
Graduation Rate 68% 59%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $56,900 $45,600
Making Student Loan Payments 73% 57%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,500 $23,000
Median Loan Payment $201 $237

Diversity

CU Boulder UC
% Men 55% 46%
% Women 45% 54%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 71% 75%
% Black 2% 7%
% Hispanic 11% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 6% 4%
% Unknown Race 1% 4%

Students

CU Boulder UC
% In-State 53% 78%
% Out-of-State 45% 17%

Campus

CU Boulder UC
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 Cincinnati Main Campus is larger than than CU Boulder based on total student enrollment (41,155 students vs. 39,585 students)

CU Boulder vs. UC Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CU Boulder or UC?

  • University of Colorado Boulder is 0.2% more expensive to attend than UC for in-state tuition ($11,520.00 vs. $11,498.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 44.3% higher at CU Boulder than University of Cincinnati Main Campus ($38,770.00 vs. $26,862.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Cincinnati Main Campus than CU Boulder ($20,149 vs. $21,836)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Cincinnati Main Campus are 25.6% lower than costs at University of Colorado Boulder ($12,852 vs. $16,146)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Cincinnati Main Campus than University of Colorado Boulder (64% vs. 57%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Colorado Boulder students is 20% larger than aid received University of Cincinnati Main Campus ($10,477 vs. $8,733)

CU Boulder vs. UC Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Colorado Boulder (1212) is 47 points higher than at UC (1165)
  • Incoming CU Boulder students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at UC (26)
  • Accepted freshman UC students have a 0.01 point higher average high school GPA (3.69) than students at CU Boulder (3.68)
  • UC has a higher acceptance rate (86.2%) than CU Boulder (80.7%)

CU Boulder vs. UC Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at CU Boulder is higher than University of Cincinnati Main Campus (68% vs. 59%)
  • Graduates from University of Colorado Boulder earn on average $11,300 more per year than UC graduates after ten years. ($56,900 vs. $45,600)
  • University of Colorado Boulder students graduate with a $3,500 lower median federal student loan debt than UC graduates. ($19,500 vs. $23,000)
  • CU Boulder graduates are paying $36 less per month on federal student loans than UC graduates. ($201 vs. $237)
  • More CU Boulder graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UC students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 57%)

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