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Colorado State DU Colorado School of Mines Utah UCCS Metropolitan State College of Denver Penn State ASU IU MSU Texas A&M NC State| University of Colorado Denver | University of Colorado Boulder | College 3 | College 4 | |
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| Remove | Remove | +Add | +Add | |
Overview |
CU Denver | CU Boulder | ||
| Location | Denver, CO | Boulder, CO | ||
| Setting | Large City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 23,744 | 39,585 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #387 | #191 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | ucdenver.edu | colorado.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
CU Denver | CU Boulder | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $8,736 | $11,520 | ||
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $25,992 | $38,770 | ||
| Room & Board | $14,230 | $16,146 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $16,079 | $21,836 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $9,384 | $10,477 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 93% | 57% |
Admission |
CU Denver | CU Boulder | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Admission Chances | Calculate | Calculate | ||
| Applied | 15,631 | 53,781 | ||
| Admitted | 11,658 | 43,416 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 74.6% | 80.7% | ||
| Enrolled % | 14.6% | 16.4% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.46 | 3.68 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Average | Very High | ||
| Applicant Competition | ||||
| ACT Range | 21/27 | 26/32 | ||
| SAT Range | 1030/1260 | 1160/1390 | ||
| 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 | Aug 1, 2025 | Jan 15, 2025 |
Academics |
CU Denver | CU Boulder | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 17:1 | 18:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
CU Denver | CU Boulder | ||
| Graduation Rate | 40% | 68% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $68,200 | $56,900 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 61% | 73% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $21,190 | $19,500 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $219 | $201 |
Diversity |
CU Denver | CU Boulder | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 40% | 55% | ||
| % Women | 60% | 45% | ||
| Racial Diversity | High | Low | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 51% | 71% | ||
| % Black | 5% | 2% | ||
| % Hispanic | 19% | 11% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 5% | ||
| % International | 8% | 6% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 1% |
Students |
CU Denver | CU Boulder | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 82% | 53% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 15% | 45% | ||
Campus |
CU Denver | 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 CU Denver based on total student enrollment (39,585 students vs. 23,744 students)
CU Denver vs. CU Boulder Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, CU Denver or CU Boulder?
- University of Colorado Boulder is 31.9% more expensive to attend than CU Denver for in-state tuition ($11,520.00 vs. $8,736.00)
- Out of state tuition is 49.2% higher at CU Boulder than University of Colorado Denver ($38,770.00 vs. $25,992.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Colorado Denver than CU Boulder ($16,079 vs. $21,836)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Colorado Denver are 13.5% lower than costs at University of Colorado Boulder ($14,230 vs. $16,146)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of Colorado Denver than University of Colorado Boulder (93% vs. 57%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of Colorado Boulder students is 11.6% larger than aid received University of Colorado Denver ($10,477 vs. $9,384)
CU Denver vs. CU Boulder Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, CU Denver or CU Boulder? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between CU Boulder or CU Denver .
- The average SAT score at University of Colorado Boulder (1212) is 157 points higher than at CU Denver (1055)
- Incoming CU Boulder students have a 4 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at CU Denver (23)
- Accepted freshman CU Boulder students have a 0.22 point higher average high school GPA (3.68) than students at CU Denver (3.46)
- CU Boulder has a higher acceptance rate (80.7%) than CU Denver (74.6%)
CU Denver vs. CU Boulder Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, CU Denver 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 CU Denver.
- The graduation rate at CU Boulder is higher than University of Colorado Denver (68% vs. 40%)
- Graduates from University of Colorado Denver earn on average $11,300 more per year than CU Boulder graduates after ten years. ($68,200 vs. $56,900)
- University of Colorado Boulder students graduate with a $1,690 lower median federal student loan debt than CU Denver graduates. ($19,500 vs. $21,190)
- CU Boulder graduates are paying $18 less per month on federal student loans than CU Denver graduates. ($201 vs. $219)
- More CU Boulder graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CU Denver students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 61%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/