UCCS vs. CU Boulder

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

 UCCS CU Boulder
Location Colorado Springs, CO Boulder, CO
Setting Large City Small City
Enrollment 11,213 41,432
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #654 #197
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website uccs.edu colorado.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

 UCCS CU Boulder
Tuition (In State) $8,012 $14,784
Tuition (Out of State) $18,792 $40,297
Room & Board $12,278 $16,950
Avg Net Price $16,816 $22,640
Avg Grant Aid $6,698 $10,838
% Receiving Grant Aid 74% 54%

Admission

 UCCS CU Boulder
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 13,103 56,069
Admitted 12,653 46,692
Acceptance Rate 96.6% 83.3%
Enrolled % 13.8% 16.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.36 3.68
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Average Very High
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 21/28 28/33
SAT Range 1020/1240 1230/1420
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

Academics

 UCCS CU Boulder
Student to Faculty Ratio 15:1 19:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (23%)
  • Social Sciences (14%)
  • Health Professions (11%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Psychology (8%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Communication (8%)

Outcomes

 UCCS CU Boulder
Graduation Rate 41% 68%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $46,400 $56,900
Making Student Loan Payments 63% 73%
Median Student Loan Debt $20,999 $19,500
Median Loan Payment $217 $201

Diversity

 UCCS CU Boulder
% Men 7% 14%
% Women 9% 9%
Racial Diversity Medium Low
HBCU No No
% White 67% 71%
% Black 4% 2%
% Hispanic 16% 11%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 7% 5%
% International 1% 6%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

 UCCS CU Boulder
% In-State 81% 53%
% Out-of-State 18% 45%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Colorado Boulder is larger than than UCCS based on total student enrollment (41,432 students vs. 11,213 students)

UCCS vs. CU Boulder Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, UCCS or CU Boulder?

  • University of Colorado Boulder is 84.5% more expensive to attend than UCCS for in-state tuition ($14,784.00 vs. $8,012.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 114.4% higher at CU Boulder than University of Colorado Colorado Springs ($40,297.00 vs. $18,792.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Colorado Colorado Springs than CU Boulder ($16,816 vs. $22,640)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Colorado Colorado Springs are 38.1% lower than costs at University of Colorado Boulder ($12,278 vs. $16,950)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Colorado Colorado Springs than University of Colorado Boulder (74% vs. 54%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Colorado Boulder students is 61.8% larger than aid received University of Colorado Colorado Springs ($10,838 vs. $6,698)

UCCS vs. CU Boulder Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Colorado Boulder (1212) is 124 points higher than at UCCS (1088)
  • Incoming CU Boulder students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at UCCS (24)
  • Accepted freshman CU Boulder students have a 0.32 point higher average high school GPA (3.68) than students at UCCS (3.36)
  • UCCS has a higher acceptance rate (96.6%) than CU Boulder (83.3%)

UCCS vs. CU Boulder Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, UCCS or CU Boulder? 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 CU Boulder and UCCS.

  • The graduation rate at CU Boulder is higher than University of Colorado Colorado Springs (68% vs. 41%)
  • Graduates from University of Colorado Boulder earn on average $10,500 more per year than UCCS graduates after ten years. ($56,900 vs. $46,400)
  • University of Colorado Boulder students graduate with a $1,499 lower median federal student loan debt than UCCS graduates. ($19,500 vs. $20,999)
  • CU Boulder graduates are paying $16 less per month on federal student loans than UCCS graduates. ($201 vs. $217)
  • More CU Boulder graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former UCCS students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 63%)

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