University of Colorado Boulder

University of Colorado Boulder Overview

University of Colorado Boulder is a public, state school in a suburban setting in Boulder, Colorado. CU Boulder was founded in 1876 and now enrolls around 36,956 students a year, including 30,300 undergrads. CU Boulder offers on-campus housing for students. Most students live in off campus housing.

There are many ways for students to get involved at CU Boulder! Love music or performing? Join a campus band, sing in a chorus, or perform with one of CU Boulder's theater groups.

Interested in journalism or communications? CU Boulder students can write for the campus newspaper, host a radio show or be a producer for the student-run television channel.

Thinking of pledging? CU Boulder has fraternities and sororities.

Planning to play sports? CU Boulder has many options for athletes. See them all and learn more about life at CU Boulder on the Student Life page.

Learn more about life at CU Boulder on the Student Life page.

Mark your calendar! The final application deadline for Fall 2022 is January 15. Regular decision applicants for Fall 2022 should hear from CU Boulder by April 1.

Is CU Boulder a Good School?

There is no one way to define a "good" college or university. Admissions difficulty and admitted student statistics can give you a sense of how competitive a college is, but they don't say much about the quality of the education or the student experience. However, there are a few good ways to get a better sense how satisfied students are and how well a school supports its student body.

Let's take a closer look at all of these areas to get a better sense of what CU Boulder offers and if it could be a good fit for you.

2021 Acceptance Rate for University of Colorado Boulder

It is moderately difficult to get into CU Boulder. CU Boulder admitted 84% of all applicants in 2021. Out of 44,171 applications received in 2021, 37,189 students were offered admission.

Retention and Graduation Rates at CU Boulder

Retention is the number of students that stay enrolled at a school over time. This is a way to get a sense of how satisfied students are with their school experience, and if they have the support necessary to succeed in college.

About 85% of students who start at CU Boulder return for their second year of college.Around 72% of students who started at CU Boulder earn their Bachelor's degrees within six years. Compare this to the average six-year graduation rate for colleges and universities in the U.S., which is around 61% for public schools and 67% for private.

Job Outlook CU Boulder Graduates

Job placement rates after graduation and average starting salaries can all give important clues about the value of a degree from a specific school. Within six months of graduating, 74% of graduates receive at least one full-time job offer.

Check with CU Boulder directly, for information on any information on starting salaries for recent grads.

CU Boulder's Endowment

An endowment is the total value of a school's investments, donations, and assets. Endowment is not necessarily an indicator of the quality of a school, but it can give you a sense of how much money a college can afford to invest in expanding programs, improving facilities, and support students. CU Boulder's endowment was valued at $596 million in 2021, compared to a national average of $905 million. For each full-time student, CU Boulder spends about $16,192 a year.

Tuition and Financial Aid at CU Boulder

Cost is another important factor when choose a college. Some colleges may have high tuition, but do a better job at meeting students' financial need. CU Boulder meets 74% of the demonstrated financial need for undergraduates. The average financial aid package for a full-time, first-year student is around $17,004 a year.

The average student debt for graduates in the class of 2021 was around $27,425 per student, not including those with no debt. For context, compare this number with the average national debt, which is around $36,000 per borrower.

The 2022-2023 FAFSA Opened on October 1st, 2021

Some aid is available on a first-come, first-served basis, so fill out the FAFSA early. Visit the FAFSA website to apply for student aid. Remember, the first F in FAFSA stands for FREE! You should never have to pay to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), so be very wary of anyone asking you for money.

Learn more about Tuition and Financial Aid at CU Boulder. Based on this information, how does CU Boulder sound? Remember, a school that is perfect for one person may not be the right school for someone else! So ask yourself: Is CU Boulder a good school for you?

If University of Colorado Boulder seems like a school you want to apply to, click the heart button to save it to your college list.

Still Doing Your Research?

Click below to find out more about the admissions requirements and deadlines, student life, academics, majors and more.

Admissions

Student Life

Academics

Tuition & Aid

CU Boulder Community Forums

Then use the college admissions predictor to calculate your chances of getting admitted to some of the schools in the U.S.

Where is CU Boulder?

CU Boulder is located in the suburban setting of Boulder, Colorado, less than an hour from Denver.

If you want to see CU Boulder for yourself, plan a visit. The best way to reach campus is to take U.S. Highway 36 to Boulder, or book a flight to the nearest airport, Denver International.

You can also take a virtual campus tour to get a sense of what CU Boulder and Boulder are like without leaving home.

Considering Going to School in Colorado?

See a full list of colleges in Colorado and save your favorites to your college list.