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Colorado State CU Denver DU Colorado School of Mines Utah UCCS K-State Penn State ASU IU MSU Texas A&M| University of Colorado Boulder | University of Kansas | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
CU Boulder | KU | ||
| Location | Boulder, CO | Lawrence, KS | ||
| Setting | Small City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 41,432 | 28,406 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #197 | #291 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | colorado.edu | ku.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
CU Boulder | KU | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $14,784 | $10,596 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $40,297 | $28,308 | ||
| Room & Board | $16,950 | $10,818 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $22,640 | $18,322 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $10,838 | $10,644 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 54% | 89% |
Admission |
CU Boulder | KU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 56,069 | 19,226 | ||
| Admitted | 46,692 | 16,958 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 83.3% | 88.2% | ||
| Enrolled % | 16.2% | 31% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.68 | 3.66 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Average | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 28/33 | 21/27 | ||
| SAT Range | 1230/1420 | 1050/1290 | ||
| 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 | Aug 15, 2026 |
Academics |
CU Boulder | KU | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 19:1 | 17:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
CU Boulder | KU | ||
| Graduation Rate | 68% | 61% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $56,900 | $54,600 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 73% | 66% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $19,500 | $20,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $201 | $211 |
Diversity |
CU Boulder | KU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 14% | 11% | ||
| % Women | 9% | 16% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 71% | 72% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 4% | ||
| % Hispanic | 11% | 7% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 5% | ||
| % International | 6% | 6% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 1% |
Students |
CU Boulder | KU | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 53% | 55% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 45% | 43% | ||
Campus |
CU Boulder | KU | ||
| 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 Colorado Boulder is larger than than KU based on total student enrollment (41,432 students vs. 28,406 students)
CU Boulder vs. KU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, CU Boulder or KU?
- University of Colorado Boulder is 39.5% more expensive to attend than KU for in-state tuition ($14,784.00 vs. $10,596.00)
- Out of state tuition is 42.4% higher at CU Boulder than University of Kansas ($40,297.00 vs. $28,308.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Kansas than CU Boulder ($18,322 vs. $22,640)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Kansas are 56.7% lower than costs at University of Colorado Boulder ($10,818 vs. $16,950)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of Kansas than University of Colorado Boulder (89% vs. 54%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of Colorado Boulder students is 1.8% larger than aid received University of Kansas ($10,838 vs. $10,644)
CU Boulder vs. KU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, CU Boulder or KU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between KU or CU Boulder .
- The average SAT score at University of Colorado Boulder (1212) is 67 points higher than at KU (1145)
- Incoming CU Boulder students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at KU (25)
- Accepted freshman CU Boulder students have a 0.02 point higher average high school GPA (3.68) than students at KU (3.66)
- KU has a higher acceptance rate (88.2%) than CU Boulder (83.3%)
CU Boulder vs. KU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, CU Boulder or KU? 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 KU and CU Boulder.
- The graduation rate at CU Boulder is higher than University of Kansas (68% vs. 61%)
- Graduates from University of Colorado Boulder earn on average $2,300 more per year than KU graduates after ten years. ($56,900 vs. $54,600)
- University of Colorado Boulder students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than KU graduates. ($19,500 vs. $20,500)
- CU Boulder graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than KU graduates. ($201 vs. $211)
- More CU Boulder graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former KU students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 66%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/