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Boulder, CO · Public · 31,939 undergraduates · urban

University of Colorado Boulder

Less selective

Add to my college list Review admission

CU Boulder embeds credit-bearing academics inside selected residence halls while using Exploratory Studies as an alternate entry route for some applicants.

Lambroscues / CC BY-SA 4.0

Institutional profile

Well established Solid in academic standing, and solid in affordability.
Academic Solid Affordability Solid Career Solid Mobility Steady Experience Steady
Academic standing Solid
Affordability Solid
Career outcomes Solid
Mobility Steady
Student experience Steady
Admission
83.3% admitted

56,069 applicants in the reported year

Price by income
Resident and nonresident prices differ

Compare recent average annual costs by household income

Completion
73.9%

$69,738 median earnings 10 years after enrollment

What sets University of Colorado Boulder apart

Academic design

Residential Academic Programs offer small residence-based classes that can satisfy general-education, major, or elective requirements.

Campus pattern

The main campus sits beside Boulder's Flatirons, with city bicycle routes and trail access integrated into everyday campus movement.

A signature opportunity

Residential Academic Programs.

Can I get in?

83.3% admitted

Some Engineering or Leeds applicants receive Exploratory Studies instead and must later pursue internal transfer into their intended college.

Recent applicant pool

56,069

About 83 in every 100 applicants were admitted.

Admission rate 83.3%
Entering class

Academic range

SAT middle 50%1230–1420
11001540
ACT middle 50%28–33
2536

Of admitted students, 20% submitted an SAT, and 8% submitted an ACT. Treat the ACT range as a guide to the students who submitted that test, not to everyone admitted.

Entered with a 4.0 GPA44%

In the season card

Where your GPA sits in the entering class

The full entering-class GPA distribution for University of Colorado Boulder, in nine bands from 4.0 down, with your own record marked on it.

See where I land

In the season card

What University of Colorado Boulder weighs when it reads a file

See how this college describes the role of grades, testing, essays, recommendations, activities, and demonstrated interest.

  • Course rigor  
  • GPA  
  • Test scores  
  • Essay  
  • Recommendations  
  • Extracurriculars  
  • Demonstrated interest  
See what counts here

What moves the application

The evidence that separates a strong file

01

Show preparation for this curriculum

Residential Academic Programs offer small residence-based classes that can satisfy general-education, major, or elective requirements.

02

Make institutional fit specific

CU Boulder embeds credit-bearing academics inside selected residence halls while using Exploratory Studies as an alternate entry route for some applicants.

03

Use the application route carefully

Some Engineering or Leeds applicants receive Exploratory Studies instead and must later pursue internal transfer into their intended college.

04

Give commitments a clear through-line

Activities and recommendations should show sustained contribution, not a collection of disconnected credentials.

How to apply

Rounds, route, and required materials

Some Engineering or Leeds applicants receive Exploratory Studies instead and must later pursue internal transfer into their intended college.

Early ActionNov 15
Regular DecisionJan 15
Fee and waiver$65 application fee

Fee waiver: accepted

Major and program admission

Some fields have their own entry path.

The college admit rate above covers the university as a whole. These requirements apply only to the named program.

ArchitectureAdmits separately

What this program asks for, and when it closes.

BusinessAdmits separately

What this program asks for, and when it closes.

Communication and journalismAdmits separately

What this program asks for, and when it closes.

Computer scienceAdmits separately

What this program asks for, and when it closes.

Teacher preparationAdmits separately

What this program asks for, and when it closes.

EngineeringAdmits separately

What this program asks for, and when it closes.

Can I afford it?

Compare annual cost by household income.

Start with the average net price for your income range, then set that estimate beside your other realistic options.

Published annual cost$35,456
Average annual cost after aid, in-state$25,000
Affordability profileSolid

College funding

Scholarships and financial aid

Review available aid, application requirements, and renewal terms.

University of Colorado Boulder publishes four merit awards, the largest reaching $10,000 to $20,000 a year. All of them renew past the first year.

Reviewed with admission An award under $5,000 a year

Open across the university · Merit · Competitive · Renews each year

Reviewed with admission An award reaching $5,000 to $10,000 a year

Open across the university · Merit · Competitive · Renews each year

Reviewed with admission An award reaching $5,000 to $10,000 a year

Open across the university · Merit · Competitive · Renews each year

Reviewed with admission An award reaching $10,000 to $20,000 a year

Open across the university · Merit · Competitive · Renews each year

In the season card

These four awards, by name

What each one is called, what it pays, the grades and scores it asks for, and what to send.

  • The name of each award 
  • What it pays 
  • The grades and scores it asks for 
  • How to be considered 
  • What to send, and where 
See the full read
Financial aid timing2027-28 recommended date to complete the Financial Aid application: March 1 CU PromiseCU Promise covers tuition and fees for eligible Colorado resident undergraduates with the greatest financial need.Eligibility includes Colorado residency, eligible citizenship/immigration status, Pell eligibility and other program requirements; the page states family AGI is typically $65,000 or less and SAI 6,657 or less. Plan with your figuresOpen this college’s net price calculator
Open financial aid plan

In the season card

Average annual cost by household income at University of Colorado Boulder

Compare recent average net prices across five federal income ranges and estimate a 4-year cost for yours.

  • $0–30k 
  • $30–48k 
  • $48–75k 
  • $75–110k 
  • $110k+ 
Open the price by income

Is it worth it?

Completion, debt, and earnings

Read completion, borrowing, field mix, and earnings together. One university-wide earnings figure does not describe every student path.

Complete within 8 years73.9%

Degree completion across the reported entering cohort

Return after year one89.7%

First-year students who return for year two

Median federal debtWhat students owe on the way out

And what that comes to against what they earn.

Median earnings$69,738

Reported 10 years after enrollment

Academic portfolio

Largest bachelor’s fields

How many students finish in each field, and median earnings four years after completing the program.

Psychology, General

Recent graduates585
Median earnings$56,867

Computer Science

Recent graduates483
Median earnings$121,952

Admits separately

Physiology, Pathology and Related Sciences

Recent graduates351
Median earnings$71,444

What is campus life like?

University of Colorado Boulder beyond the classroom

The main campus sits beside Boulder's Flatirons, with city bicycle routes and trail access integrated into everyday campus movement.

Academics

A defining academic feature

Residential Academic Programs offer small residence-based classes that can satisfy general-education, major, or elective requirements.

Housing

Read the residential pattern

Compare the residential setup and surrounding area with the day-to-day routine you want.

Dining

Daily life follows the campus map

Dining and nearby options matter most when they support the academic, residential, and social routine you expect.

Campus rhythm

What shapes an ordinary week

The main campus sits beside Boulder's Flatirons, with city bicycle routes and trail access integrated into everyday campus movement.

Clubs & interests

Turn a direction into participation

The strongest opportunities connect a clear academic or personal direction to real work beyond class.

Social life

Find the right everyday fit

The main campus sits beside Boulder's Flatirons, with city bicycle routes and trail access integrated into everyday campus movement.

31,939 undergraduatesMountain Westurban setting94% of first-year students live on campus