CU Boulder vs. Virginia Tech

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

CU Boulder Virginia Tech
Location Boulder, CO Blacksburg, VA
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 41,432 38,294
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #197 #145
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website colorado.edu vt.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

CU Boulder Virginia Tech
Tuition (In State) $14,784 $12,698
Tuition (Out of State) $40,297 $33,310
Room & Board $16,950 $14,888
Avg Net Price $22,640 $22,205
Avg Grant Aid $10,838 $8,542
% Receiving Grant Aid 54% 55%

Admission

CU Boulder Virginia Tech
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 56,069 47,208
Admitted 46,692 26,923
Acceptance Rate 83.3% 57%
Enrolled % 16.2% 26.7%
Avg High School GPA 3.68 3.97
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 28/33 27/32
SAT Range 1230/1420 1240/1420
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 Jan 15, 2026

Academics

CU Boulder Virginia Tech
Student to Faculty Ratio 19:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Engineering (19%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Biology (8%)
  • Work and Family Studies (6%)

Outcomes

CU Boulder Virginia Tech
Graduation Rate 68% 82%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $56,900 $65,000
Making Student Loan Payments 73% 81%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,500 $23,966
Median Loan Payment $201 $247

Diversity

CU Boulder Virginia Tech
% Men 14% 11%
% Women 9% 9%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 71% 68%
% Black 2% 4%
% Hispanic 11% 5%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 6% 6%
% Unknown Race 1% 3%

Students

CU Boulder Virginia Tech
% In-State 53% 61%
% Out-of-State 45% 33%

Campus

CU Boulder Virginia Tech
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Colorado Boulder is larger than than Virginia Tech based on total student enrollment (41,432 students vs. 38,294 students)

CU Boulder vs. Virginia Tech Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CU Boulder or Virginia Tech?

  • University of Colorado Boulder is 16.4% more expensive to attend than Virginia Tech for in-state tuition ($14,784.00 vs. $12,698.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 21% higher at CU Boulder than Virginia Tech ($40,297.00 vs. $33,310.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Virginia Tech than CU Boulder ($22,205 vs. $22,640)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Tech are 13.9% lower than costs at University of Colorado Boulder ($14,888 vs. $16,950)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Virginia Tech than University of Colorado Boulder (55% vs. 54%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Colorado Boulder students is 26.9% larger than aid received Virginia Tech ($10,838 vs. $8,542)

CU Boulder vs. Virginia Tech Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Colorado Boulder (1212) is 2 points higher than at Virginia Tech (1210)
  • Accepted freshman Virginia Tech students have a 0.29 point higher average high school GPA (3.97) than students at CU Boulder (3.68)
  • CU Boulder has a higher acceptance rate (83.3%) than Virginia Tech (57%)

CU Boulder vs. Virginia Tech Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CU Boulder or Virginia Tech? 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 Virginia Tech and CU Boulder.

  • The graduation rate at Virginia Tech is higher than University of Colorado Boulder (82% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from Virginia Tech earn on average $8,100 more per year than CU Boulder graduates after ten years. ($65,000 vs. $56,900)
  • University of Colorado Boulder students graduate with a $4,466 lower median federal student loan debt than Virginia Tech graduates. ($19,500 vs. $23,966)
  • CU Boulder graduates are paying $46 less per month on federal student loans than Virginia Tech graduates. ($201 vs. $247)
  • More Virginia Tech graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CU Boulder students, three years after graduation. (81% vs. 73%)

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