78.1%
Acceptance Rate
$15,666
Avg Cost (In-State)
$44,918
Avg Cost (Out-of-State)
74.6%
Graduation Rate
31,939
Total Enrollment
Popular programs
Application requirements
Regular Deadline
January 15
Early Deadline
November 15 (Early Action)
Common App
Yes
Test Policy
Test Optional
Essays Required
1
Letters of Rec
0
Application Fee
$50
Interview
Not required
Essays: One personal essay required through Common App or Coalition App (250-650 words)
Requirements are AI-generated from public data and may change. Always verify directly with the college.
Getting there
Graduate outcomes
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard
$54,939
Median Earnings at 6 Years
median graduate salary 6 years after starting
$69,738
Median Earnings at 10 Years
median graduate salary 10 years after starting
75%
4-Year Graduation Rate
students completing degree within 4 years
Earnings data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard. Figures reflect federal aid recipients only — actual median earnings may be higher at schools where many students receive grants rather than loans.
Earnings by major
Median earnings 1 year after graduation, by bachelor's program. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard FieldOfStudy data.
| Program | Median earnings (1yr) | Earnings (4yr) | Graduates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Business Administration, Management and Operations. | $56,014 | $86,441 | 337 |
| Computer Science. | $77,385 | $121,952 | 291 |
| Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication. | $42,218 | $74,779 | 216 |
| Psychology, General. | $30,176 | $56,867 | 184 |
| Mechanical Engineering. | $66,089 | $93,073 | 184 |
| Communication and Media Studies. | $39,738 | $66,623 | 128 |
| Economics. | $51,521 | $73,319 | 122 |
| Environmental Design. | $42,401 | $61,788 | 97 |
Tracked through federal tax records. Programs with fewer than 30 graduates with reported earnings are privacy-suppressed. 4-year figure tracks the same cohort 3 years later.
What current students say
Write a review →Verified with .edu email. We moderate for spam/abuse, never for sentiment. Reviewer names stay private.
No verified reviews of University of Colorado Boulder yet.
Are you a current student here? Be the first to share what you wish you'd known before enrolling.
Verify with .edu and write oneWhat will you actually pay?
Personalized cost estimate based on your family's finances and academic profile
Calculate Your Cost at University of Colorado Boulder
Get a personalized estimate of what you'd pay to attend University of Colorado Boulder
Tactics that apply here
Things you can do that most families don't know about.
Early Action priority deadlines unlock the biggest merit pools
~$15k valueAt many public universities, applying by the EA deadline (Nov 1) instead of regular (Feb 1) decides whether you're considered for the top merit awards.
Who it helps: Students with their applications ready by November of senior year, especially those targeting merit-rich publics.
How to use: List each target school's EA deadline (commonly Nov 1, sometimes Oct 15 or Dec 1). Submit complete applications + test scores by then. Confirm merit-scholarship deadlines separately — some require a different priority date or supplemental essay.
Source ↗File FAFSA the day it opens
~$5k valueMost schools award state and institutional aid first-come-first-served from a fixed pool. Filing FAFSA in October beats filing in February by thousands.
Who it helps: Every student applying for need-based aid, but especially families relying on state grants or institutional aid.
How to use: Set a calendar reminder for the FAFSA opening date (currently Oct 1 most years; Dec 1 in the 2024-25 transition year). Use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to auto-fill tax info. Submit even if you have to estimate; corrections are easy.
Source ↗CSS Profile is required by 200+ private schools — separate from FAFSA
Most selective private colleges use the CSS Profile in addition to FAFSA. It costs $25 + $16/school and reaches deeper into family finances than FAFSA does.
Who it helps: Any student applying to a private 4-year with significant institutional aid needs.
How to use: Check the CSS Profile school list for each of your target colleges. Open the app at cssprofile.collegeboard.org as soon as it opens (early Oct). Submit ahead of each school's earliest priority date — often before the FAFSA deadline.
Source ↗Scholarships
Scholarships you may qualify for.
Colorado College Boettcher Scholarship Partnership
Full tuition + room/board + stipend
universityTop CO HS seniors named Boettcher Scholars (selected statewide ~50/year) who choose Colorado College or other CO partner schools.
Deadline: November 1
Learn more ↗Colorado Student Grant
Varies (need-based)
stateCO residents with financial need attending CO postsecondary institutions.
Deadline: Apply via FAFSA + school
Learn more ↗Colorado Opportunity Fund (COF)
Stipend per credit hour at CO publics
stateCO undergrads at CO public institutions; reduces tuition on per-credit basis. Must apply once at start of college.
Deadline: Apply once during admissions
Learn more ↗CO Veterans Tuition Assistance
In-state tuition + fees at CO publics
stateCO veterans + dependents per state Veteran Tuition Assistance Program.
Deadline: Through institution
Learn more ↗Colorado State University Honors Scholarship
$2,000-$8,000/year
universityTop CSU freshmen admitted to Honors program.
Deadline: February 1
Learn more ↗U Colorado Boulder Esteemed Scholar Award
$1,000-$5,000/year
universityTop CU Boulder freshmen via automatic merit grid.
Deadline: November 15
Learn more ↗Colorado School of Mines Presidential Scholarship
Up to full tuition
universityTop Mines freshmen via competitive process; STEM emphasis.
Deadline: December 1
Learn more ↗U Denver Daniel L. Ritchie Scholarship
Full tuition + leadership programming
universityTop DU incoming freshmen via competitive Ritchie School scholarship process.
Deadline: December 1
Learn more ↗Net price by income
What it actually costs your family.
Average net price (tuition, fees, room/board minus grant aid) by household income tier, AY 2023–24. Source: IPEDS NPRC1.
| Household income | Average net price / year |
|---|---|
| $0 – $30,000 | $14,231 |
| $30,001 – $48,000 | $14,381 |
| $48,001 – $75,000 | $18,828 |
| $75,001 – $110,000 | $26,915 |
| $110,001+ | $34,818 |
Cost calculator
See the full income-tier cost breakdown for University of Colorado Boulder →
Type your household income and get a per-family estimate, plus % off sticker and a methodology breakdown.
Round-by-round
Acceptance rates by application round.
The single overall 78.1% rate hides a 2–4x gap between ED and RD at most selective schools. Class of 2027 cycle.
Early Decision I
28%
acceptance
Early Decision II
22%
acceptance
Regular Decision
78.08%
acceptance
Bulk-imported from College Scorecard (admission_rate.overall). Deadline/notification dates are typical RD defaults; revise as needed.
Source ↗Regular Decision
12%
acceptance
Overall ~15%.
Source ↗Class profile
Who actually goes here.
From the most recent Common Data Set and IPEDS.
14.0%
% Pell-eligible
Federal Pell grant recipients
19.0%
% first-generation
First in family to attend college
56.0%
% in-state
Residents of the college's home state
18.0%
% URM
Black, Hispanic/Latino, Native combined
22.0%
Yield rate
Share of admitted students who enroll
87.0%
1st-to-2nd year retention
Freshmen who return as sophomores
73.0%
6-year grad rate
Graduate within 150% normal time
Demonstrated interest
Not considered
Visits, info sessions and opening emails don't move the needle here.
For transfer students
Transferring in to University of Colorado Boulder.
79%
Transfer admit rate
2.7
Min transfer GPA
CO gtPathways
State articulation
Honors gtPathways (CO statewide gen-ed transfer). Competitive majors like engineering and business require higher GPAs.
Peer colleges
Similar colleges to consider.
Similar selectivity
University of Tennessee
Knoxville, TN
78% acceptance
Both admit around 78% of applicants, with 34k undergrads and a c campus — a close selectivity match.
Indiana University-Bloomington
Bloomington, IN
78.2% acceptance
Both admit around 78% of applicants, with 38k undergrads and a c campus — a close selectivity match.
University of Missouri-Columbia
Columbia, MO
78.5% acceptance
Both admit around 79% of applicants, with 24k undergrads and a c campus — a close selectivity match.
Cheaper alternatives
Grand Canyon University
Phoenix, AZ
78.9% acceptance
Similar selectivity (79% vs 78%) but out-of-state cost runs $18k — meaningfully less than $45k.
California State Polytechnic University-Pomona
Pomona, CA
75.2% acceptance
Similar selectivity (75% vs 78%) but out-of-state cost runs $20k — meaningfully less than $45k.
San Jose State University
San Jose, CA
84.6% acceptance
Similar selectivity (85% vs 78%) but out-of-state cost runs $21k — meaningfully less than $45k.
Reaches above this college
Brigham Young University
Provo, UT
67.8% acceptance
Same c setting in the West, but more selective (68% vs 78%) — a stretch target if University of Colorado Boulder is already on your list.
University of California-Davis
Davis, CA
41.8% acceptance
Same c setting in the West, but more selective (42% vs 78%) — a stretch target if University of Colorado Boulder is already on your list.
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, CA
31.3% acceptance
Same c setting in the West, but more selective (31% vs 78%) — a stretch target if University of Colorado Boulder is already on your list.
Safer alternatives
University of Oregon
Eugene, OR
88.3% acceptance
Same c setting in the West, but higher admit rate (88% vs 78%) — a likelier admit with a similar feel.
Colorado State University-Fort Collins
Fort Collins, CO
88.5% acceptance
Same c setting in the West, but higher admit rate (89% vs 78%) — a likelier admit with a similar feel.
New Mexico State University-Main Campus
Las Cruces, NM
89% acceptance
Same c setting in the West, but higher admit rate (89% vs 78%) — a likelier admit with a similar feel.
Transfer pathways
Routes in from a community college.
From CO community colleges
articulation onlyCU Boulder accepts transfers via the Colorado Department of Higher Education's gtPathways articulation, which guarantees that general education courses completed at any Colorado community college transfer in full. Major feeders include Front Range Community College, Community Col…
Ready to dig deeper?
Get your personalized research report for University of Colorado Boulder — scholarships, admissions strategy, costs, and a step-by-step playbook.