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 39,585 38,170
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #191 #142
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website colorado.edu vt.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

CU Boulder Virginia Tech
Tuition (In State) $11,520 $12,104
Tuition (Out of State) $38,770 $31,754
Room & Board $16,146 $12,680
Avg Net Price $21,836 $19,301
Avg Grant Aid $10,477 $7,649
% Receiving Grant Aid 57% 57%

Admission

CU Boulder Virginia Tech
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 53,781 45,321
Admitted 43,416 25,825
Acceptance Rate 80.7% 57%
Enrolled % 16.4% 27.7%
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 26/32 27/32
SAT Range 1160/1390 1240/1430
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 Jan 15, 2025

Academics

CU Boulder Virginia Tech
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 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 55% 57%
% Women 45% 43%
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% 64%
% Out-of-State 45% 32%

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 (39,585 students vs. 38,170 students)

CU Boulder vs. Virginia Tech Cost Comparison

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

  • Virginia Tech is 5.1% more expensive to attend than CU Boulder for in-state tuition ($12,104.00 vs. $11,520.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 22.1% higher at CU Boulder than Virginia Tech ($38,770.00 vs. $31,754.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Virginia Tech than CU Boulder ($19,301 vs. $21,836)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Virginia Tech are 27.3% lower than costs at University of Colorado Boulder ($12,680 vs. $16,146)
  • The same percent of students receive financial grant aid at University of Colorado Boulder as Virginia Tech (57% vs. 57%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Colorado Boulder students is 37% larger than aid received Virginia Tech ($10,477 vs. $7,649)

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 (80.7%) 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/