University of Colorado Boulder

School Overview: Acceptance Rate, Tuition, and More

Boulder, CO

$10,728

Avg in-state tuition

$34,930

Avg out-of-state tuition

BestColleges.com is an advertising-supported site. Featured or trusted partner programs and all school search, finder, or match results are for schools that compensate us. This compensation does not influence our school rankings, resource guides, or other editorially-independent information published on this site.

Ready to Take the Next Step?

Discover programs by subject area to find the best college for your future.

Search All Programs

About University of Colorado Boulder

School Type: Public

Status: Non-profit

Accreditation: Regional

Religious Affiliation: N/A While the student experience is largely unaffected at most schools with religious affiliations, some schools place more of an emphasis on religion. Learn how religious affiliations may impact students' experience.

Military Friendly: YesMilitary-friendly schools are Servicemembers Opportunity Colleges, offer the Yellow Ribbon Program, and have a dedicated point of contact to support veterans, military service members, and their families. Explore our college guide for service members and veterans to learn more.

The University of Colorado Boulder is a large public university located on an urban campus in Boulder, Colorado. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 30,307, and admissions are selective, with an acceptance rate of 84%. The university offers 77 bachelor's degrees, has an average graduation rate of 72%, and a student-faculty ratio of 18:1. Tuition and fees for in-state students are $10,728, while tuition and fees for out-of-state students are $34,930.

BestColleges.com

Rankings

Learn more about how this school compares to other schools with rankings by BestColleges.

Admissions Breakdown

Acceptance Rate Insight

This school has a high acceptance rate.

This school accepts students at a higher rate than other schools. High acceptance schools welcome 51-100% of all applicants.

84% of students were accepted during the 2020-2021 school year. Sometimes schools with midrange acceptance rates have higher standards of entry but are still accessible to many students who apply.

Retention Rate Insight

85% of full-time students stayed to continue their studies the following academic year. These students started in Fall 2019 and returned in Fall 2020.

Graduation Rate Insight

72% of students graduated out of all full-time, first-time students who began their studies in Fall 2014. Keep in mind many students who enroll are not typically first-time students, as most are adult learners. Therefore, the number of first-time students is traditionally low.

Application Considerations

Test scores Considered (not required)

High school transcript Required

High school rank Recommended

Letter of recommendation Recommended

High school GPA Required

Open admission No

Completion of college prep program Required

Test of English as a foreign language (TOEFL) Required

Transfer Credit Policy

Dual enrollment Yes

Credit for qualified life experience* Implied no

Advance placement (AP) credits Yes

*This can include previous jobs, trainings, licenses/credentials, or seminars. You may need to complete an exam or provide a portfolio to earn credit.

SAT & ACT

Students who attend this school typically have higher standardized test scores than students at other schools.

While test scores can be an important aspect of college applications, schools determine admission based on several factors, and these test scores are only a suggested range.

Learn more about how we determine school awards

ACT 25th-75th Percentile 25-31

SAT 25th-75th Percentile 1130-1350

Learning Environment

Student Body Stats

This school has a student body of more than 15,000 students.

Learn more about how we determine school awards

37k

Students enrolled

91%

Online student enrollment

18:1

Student to faculty ratio

Ways Students Can Learn

Online Check Bold
On-campus Check Bold
Hybrid The program is a combination of on-campus and online learning and varies per program. Check Bold
International Online classes are available for students around the world. Check Bold

Demographics

White

66%

Hispanic

13%

Two or more races

6%

Non-U.S. Citizen

6%

Asian

6%

Black

2%

Unknown

1%

American Indian/Alaska Native

0%

Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander

0%

Female student population

45%

Socio-economic diversity

16% of students received an income-based Federal Pell Grant intended for low-income students.

Explore Similar Schools

Online Programs

Offers Online Programs

Yes

Online Programs

11

Total Online Enrollment

34,248

Student Location Breakout

Percent of Programs Online

95% On-campus

5% Online

Types of Online Programs Offered

Certificates X Bold Not offered

Associate X Bold Not offered

Bachelor's Check Bold 1% online

Graduate Certificate X Bold Not offered

Master's Check Bold 11% online

Doctorate Check Bold 2% online

Student Charges

Tuition and Required Fees

Student Level In-state Out-of-state
Undergraduate $10,728 $34,930
Graduate $11,826 $31,284

Cost of Undergraduate Attendance

Costs based on full-time, first-time degree or certificate-seeking undergraduates for the 2020–2021 academic year.

Costs to Consider Price
Books and supplies $1,200
On-campus room and board $15,220
On-campus other expenses $2,556
Off-campus (not with family) room and board $13,050
Off-campus (not with family) other expenses $2,556
Off-campus (with family) other expenses $4,617

Total Undergraduate Cost

Total cost by category In-state Out-of-state
On-campus $29,704 $53,906
Off-campus without family $27,534 $51,736
Off-campus with family $16,545 $40,747

Financial Breakdown

Students Receiving Aid

Federal Grant Aid

16%

State Grant Aid

13%

Institution Grant Aid

53%

Pell Grant

16%

Average Aid Awarded

Federal Grant Aid $4,916
State Grant Aid $3,148
Institution Grant Aid $8,029
Pell Grant Aid $4,777

Financial Outlook

$20k

Average student debt after graduation

$43k

Average salary 6 years after starting school

Varsity Athletic Teams

NCAA Division I-FBS

of the overall student body is a member of an athletic team.

Participation

Men Women
  • Basketball
  • Football
  • Golf
  • Lacrosse
  • Skiing
  • Soccer
  • Tennis
  • Volleyball
  • All Track Combined

Degrees Awarded by Program

Degrees given for the 2020-2021 academic year.

1

Architecture And Related Services

BA

MA

DOC

2

Area, Ethnic, Cultural, And Gender Studies

BA

MA

DOC

3

Biological And Biomedical Sciences

BA

MA

DOC

4

Business, Management, Marketing, And Related Support Services

BA

MA

DOC

5

Communication, Journalism, And Related Programs

BA

MA

DOC

6

Computer And Information Sciences And Support Services

BA

MA

DOC

7

Education

BA

MA

DOC

8

Engineering

BA

MA

DOC

9

English Language And Literature/Letters

BA

MA

DOC

10

Foreign Languages, Literatures, And Linguistics

BA

MA

DOC

11

Health Professions And Related Clinical Sciences

BA

MA

DOC

12

History

BA

MA

DOC

13

Legal Professions And Studies

BA

MA

DOC

14

Liberal Arts And Sciences, General Studies And Humanities

BA

MA

DOC

15

Mathematics And Statistics

BA

MA

DOC

16

Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies

BA

MA

DOC

17

Natural Resources And Conservation

BA

MA

DOC

18

Philosophy And Religious Studies

BA

MA

DOC

19

Physical Sciences

BA

MA

DOC

20

Psychology

BA

MA

DOC

21

Social Sciences

BA

MA

DOC

22

Visual And Performing Arts

BA

MA

DOC

Resource

Financial Aid Overview

Resource

Understanding Grants & Scholarships

Explore Rankings

Explore More Resources

Data collected from the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS), [2020-2021]. In the absence of IPED data, information was collected directly from the school and is accurate as of the date of collection. Contact the school directly for the most current and complete information.