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Colorado State CU Denver DU Seattle U Colorado School of Mines UCSD UWB Utah Wisconsin UCCS UT Austin UCSB| University of Colorado Boulder | University of Washington Seattle Campus | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
CU Boulder | UW-Seattle | ||
| Location | Boulder, CO | Seattle, WA | ||
| Setting | Small City | Large City | ||
| Enrollment | 41,432 | 55,620 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #197 | #85 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | colorado.edu | washington.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
CU Boulder | UW-Seattle | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $14,784 | $11,524 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $40,297 | $40,878 | ||
| Room & Board | $16,950 | $17,982 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $22,640 | $11,023 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $10,838 | $14,390 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 54% | 43% |
Admission |
CU Boulder | UW-Seattle | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 56,069 | 62,428 | ||
| Admitted | 46,692 | 26,552 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 83.3% | 42.5% | ||
| Enrolled % | 16.2% | 26.4% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.68 | 3.82 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | A- | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Exceptional | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 28/33 | 27/33 | ||
| SAT Range | 1230/1420 | 1200/1453 | ||
| Submit Test Scores | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind) | ||
| Application Deadline | Jan 15, 2026 | Nov 16, 2025 |
Academics |
CU Boulder | UW-Seattle | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 19:1 | 20:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
CU Boulder | UW-Seattle | ||
| Graduation Rate | 68% | 80% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $56,900 | $65,800 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 73% | 76% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $19,500 | $15,000 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $201 | $155 |
Diversity |
CU Boulder | UW-Seattle | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 14% | 13% | ||
| % Women | 9% | 16% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 71% | 42% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 3% | ||
| % Hispanic | 11% | 7% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 7% | ||
| % International | 6% | 15% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 1% |
Students |
CU Boulder | UW-Seattle | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 53% | 60% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 45% | 24% | ||
Campus |
CU Boulder | UW-Seattle | ||
| 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 Washington Seattle Campus is larger than than CU Boulder based on total student enrollment (55,620 students vs. 41,432 students)
CU Boulder vs. UW-Seattle Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, CU Boulder or UW-Seattle?
- University of Colorado Boulder is 28.3% more expensive to attend than UW-Seattle for in-state tuition ($14,784.00 vs. $11,524.00)
- Out of state tuition is 1.4% higher at UW-Seattle than University of Colorado Boulder ($40,878.00 vs. $40,297.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Washington Seattle Campus than CU Boulder ($11,023 vs. $22,640)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Colorado Boulder are 6.1% lower than costs at University of Washington Seattle Campus ($16,950 vs. $17,982)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of Colorado Boulder than University of Washington Seattle Campus (54% vs. 43%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of Washington Seattle Campus students is 32.8% larger than aid received University of Colorado Boulder ($14,390 vs. $10,838)
CU Boulder vs. UW-Seattle Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, CU Boulder or UW-Seattle? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UW-Seattle or CU Boulder .
- The average SAT score at University of Washington Seattle Campus (1258) is 46 points higher than at CU Boulder (1212)
- Incoming UW-Seattle students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at CU Boulder (27)
- Accepted freshman UW-Seattle students have a 0.14 point higher average high school GPA (3.82) than students at CU Boulder (3.68)
- CU Boulder has a higher acceptance rate (83.3%) than UW-Seattle (42.5%)
CU Boulder vs. UW-Seattle Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, CU Boulder or UW-Seattle? 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 UW-Seattle and CU Boulder.
- The graduation rate at UW-Seattle is higher than University of Colorado Boulder (80% vs. 68%)
- Graduates from University of Washington Seattle Campus earn on average $8,900 more per year than CU Boulder graduates after ten years. ($65,800 vs. $56,900)
- University of Washington Seattle Campus students graduate with a $4,500 lower median federal student loan debt than CU Boulder graduates. ($15,000 vs. $19,500)
- UW-Seattle graduates are paying $46 less per month on federal student loans than CU Boulder graduates. ($155 vs. $201)
- More UW-Seattle graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CU Boulder students, three years after graduation. (76% vs. 73%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/