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Colorado State CU Denver DU Colorado School of Mines Utah UCCS MSU Penn State ASU IU Texas A&M NC State| University of Colorado Boulder | University of Wyoming | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
CU Boulder | UW | ||
| Location | Boulder, CO | Laramie, WY | ||
| Setting | Small City | Remote Town | ||
| Enrollment | 39,585 | 11,100 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #191 | #331 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | colorado.edu | uwyo.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
CU Boulder | UW | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $11,520 | $4,800 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $38,770 | $19,950 | ||
| Room & Board | $16,146 | $11,610 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $21,836 | $12,819 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $10,477 | $8,942 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 57% | 94% |
Admission |
CU Boulder | UW | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 53,781 | 5,797 | ||
| Admitted | 43,416 | 5,564 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 80.7% | 96% | ||
| Enrolled % | 16.4% | 29.2% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.68 | 3.53 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Average | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 26/32 | 21/28 | ||
| SAT Range | 1160/1390 | 1040/1240 | ||
| 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, 2025 | Aug 10, 2025 |
Academics |
CU Boulder | UW | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 18:1 | 13:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
CU Boulder | UW | ||
| Graduation Rate | 68% | 53% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $56,900 | $51,400 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 73% | 75% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $19,500 | $18,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $201 | $191 |
Diversity |
CU Boulder | UW | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 55% | 46% | ||
| % Women | 45% | 54% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 71% | 76% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 1% | ||
| % Hispanic | 11% | 7% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 1% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 3% | ||
| % International | 6% | 4% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 7% |
Students |
CU Boulder | UW | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 53% | 56% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 45% | 40% | ||
Campus |
CU Boulder | UW | ||
| 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 UW based on total student enrollment (39,585 students vs. 11,100 students)
CU Boulder vs. UW Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, CU Boulder or UW?
- University of Colorado Boulder is 140% more expensive to attend than UW for in-state tuition ($11,520.00 vs. $4,800.00)
- Out of state tuition is 94.3% higher at CU Boulder than University of Wyoming ($38,770.00 vs. $19,950.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Wyoming than CU Boulder ($12,819 vs. $21,836)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Wyoming are 39.1% lower than costs at University of Colorado Boulder ($11,610 vs. $16,146)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of Wyoming than University of Colorado Boulder (94% vs. 57%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of Colorado Boulder students is 17.2% larger than aid received University of Wyoming ($10,477 vs. $8,942)
CU Boulder vs. UW Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, CU Boulder or UW? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UW or CU Boulder .
- The average SAT score at University of Colorado Boulder (1212) is 90 points higher than at UW (1122)
- Incoming CU Boulder students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at UW (25)
- Accepted freshman CU Boulder students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.68) than students at UW (3.53)
- UW has a higher acceptance rate (96%) than CU Boulder (80.7%)
CU Boulder vs. UW Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, CU Boulder or UW? 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 and CU Boulder.
- The graduation rate at CU Boulder is higher than University of Wyoming (68% vs. 53%)
- Graduates from University of Colorado Boulder earn on average $5,500 more per year than UW graduates after ten years. ($56,900 vs. $51,400)
- University of Wyoming students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than CU Boulder graduates. ($18,500 vs. $19,500)
- UW graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than CU Boulder graduates. ($191 vs. $201)
- More UW graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CU Boulder students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 73%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/