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Boulder, CO · Fort Collins, CO
| University of Colorado Boulder | Colorado State University-Fort Collins | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | ||
| Price after aid (average) | $25,346/yr | $21,279/yr |
| Price after aid (family income under $30k) | $14,231/yr | $13,259/yr |
| Typical loan debt at graduation | $19,500 | $20,000 |
| Price after aid ($30k–$48k income) | $14,381/yr | $14,460/yr |
| Price after aid ($48k–$75k income) | $18,828/yr | $15,905/yr |
| Price after aid ($75k–$110k income) | $26,915/yr | $21,927/yr |
| Price after aid (income over $110k) | $34,818/yr | $29,763/yr |
| Typical loan payment after graduation | $207/mo | $212/mo |
| Room & board (on campus) | $18,468/yr | $16,817/yr |
| Room & board (off campus) | $17,784/yr | $16,785/yr |
| Borrowers who default | 0% | 0% |
| Books & supplies | $1,200/yr | $1,200/yr |
| Other living costs (on campus) | $3,122/yr | $3,294/yr |
| Sticker price (before aid) | $37,684/yr | $31,642/yr |
| Tuition (in-state) | $15,666/yr | $13,373/yr |
| Tuition (out-of-state) | $44,918/yr | $34,783/yr |
| Students with Pell Grants | 14% | 21% |
| Students taking federal loans | 25% | 32% |
| Getting in | ||
| Students who get accepted | 78% | 89% |
| SAT range (middle 50%) | 1240–1430 | No data reported |
| SAT average | 1357 | No data reported |
| ACT range (middle 50%) | 29–33 | No data reported |
| ACT sections (middle 50%) | English 27–34 · Math 26–32 | No data reported |
| Admissions data from | Fall 2023 | Fall 2023 |
| Applications received | 56,069 | 36,612 |
| Students accepted | 46,692 | 32,801 |
| Students who enrolled | 7,546 | 5,293 |
| Accepted students who enroll | 16% | 16% |
| Enrolled who sent SAT scores | 20% | No data reported |
| Enrolled who sent ACT scores | 8% | No data reported |
| High-school GPA | Required | Required |
| High-school transcript | Required | Required |
| Essay | Required | Required |
| Recommendation letters | Required | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Class rank | Optional (considered if sent) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| College-prep program | Required | Optional (considered if sent) |
| Demonstrated competencies | Not considered | Not considered |
| Work experience | Optional (considered if sent) | Optional (considered if sent) |
| English proficiency test | Required | Required |
| Other admission tests | Not considered | Not considered |
| Legacy considered | Not considered | Not considered |
| SAT/ACT policy | Optional (considered if sent) | Not considered |
| Graduation & earnings | ||
| Students who graduate | 74% | 67% |
| Freshmen who come back | 90% | 86% |
| Typical earnings 10 years in | $69,738/yr | $60,543/yr |
| Earnings range 10 years in | $43,748–$103,315 | $40,471–$88,212 |
| Finish within 8 years (anywhere) | 74% | 68% |
| White students graduating | 75% | 69% |
| Black students graduating | 63% | 51% |
| Hispanic students graduating | 69% | 58% |
| Asian students graduating | 80% | 75% |
| Typical earnings 6 years in | $54,939/yr | $49,748/yr |
| Earn more than a HS grad | 79% | 78% |
| Graduate on time | 57% | 47% |
| Pell students who graduate | 67% | 55% |
| First-gen students who finish | 53% | 61% |
| Low-income students who finish | 53% | 61% |
| Students who transfer out | 16% | 16% |
| Typical earnings 8 years in | $64,625/yr | $56,079/yr |
| Majors & programs | ||
| Top 3 programs | Business, Management & Marketing 18% · Engineering 13% · Biological & Biomedical Sciences 11% | Business, Management & Marketing 15% · Biological & Biomedical Sciences 14% · Engineering 9% |
| Most popular program | Business, Management & Marketing — 18% of degrees | Business, Management & Marketing — 15% of degrees |
| 2nd most popular program | Engineering — 13% of degrees | Biological & Biomedical Sciences — 14% of degrees |
| 3rd most popular program | Biological & Biomedical Sciences — 11% of degrees | Engineering — 9% of degrees |
| 4th most popular program | Communication & Journalism — 10% of degrees | Social Sciences — 7% of degrees |
| 5th most popular program | Social Sciences — 9% of degrees | Psychology — 7% of degrees |
| Highest-paying major (1 year out) | Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering — $121,553/yr | Business Administration, Management and Operations — $99,929/yr |
| Degrees in STEM | 37% | 32% |
| Campus & students | ||
| Undergrad enrollment | 31,939 | 25,538 |
| Students per professor | 19 : 1 | 17 : 1 |
| Graduate students | 6,555 | 7,875 |
| Average professor pay | $13,324/mo | $11,801/mo |
| Full-time professors | 76% | 74% |
| Fully online | No | No |
| Accredited by | Higher Learning Commission | Higher Learning Commission |
| Median family income | $70,221 | $63,464 |
| Setting | City (midsize) | City (midsize) |
| Location | Boulder, CO | Fort Collins, CO |
| Region | Rocky Mountains | Rocky Mountains |
| Founded | 1876 | 1870 |
| Public or private | Public | Public |
| Main degree offered | Bachelor's degrees | Bachelor's degrees |
| Carnegie classification | Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity | Doctoral Universities: Very High Research Activity |
| Main or branch campus | Main campus | Main campus |
| International students | 2.6% | 2.3% |
| Men | 53% | 45% |
| Women | 47% | 55% |
| White students | 67% | 70% |
| Black students | 1.9% | 2.7% |
| Hispanic or Latino students | 14% | 16% |
| Asian students | 6.4% | 2.9% |
| Two or more races | 7% | 5% |
| Other / not reported | 1.2% | 1.4% |
| Special type | None | None |
| First-generation students | 20% | 24% |
| Part-time students | 9.6% | 10% |
| Students age 25+ | 5% | 10% |
| Spent on teaching per student | $18,515/yr | $16,781/yr |
| Endowment | No data reported | $643.3M |
| Campus life | ||
| Campus data from | 2023 | 2023 |
| On-campus housing | Yes — dorms on campus | Yes — dorms on campus |
| Beds in campus housing | 7,550 | 8,361 |
| Required to live on campus | No | No |
| Room charge (campus housing) | No data reported | $6,830/yr |
| Meal plan charge | No data reported | $8,310/yr |
| Meal plan offered | Yes | Yes |
| Meals per week | 19 meals/week | No data reported |
| Academic calendar | Semester | Semester |
| Federal designation | None | Land-grant institution |
| Study abroad | Yes | Yes |
| Undergraduate research | Yes | Yes |
| ROTC | Yes — Army, Navy, Air Force | Yes — Army, Air Force |
| Accepts AP credit | Yes | Yes |
| Accepts dual-enrollment credit | No | No |
| Credit for life experience | Yes | No |
| Online classes | Yes | Yes |
| Whole degrees online | Yes | Yes |
| Weekend & evening classes | No | No |
| Teacher certification | Yes | Yes |
| Academic & career counseling | Yes | Yes |
| Job help while you study | Yes | Yes |
| Job placement for graduates | Yes | Yes |
| On-campus day care | Yes | Yes |
| Program for students with intellectual disabilities | No | No |
| Yellow Ribbon (GI Bill) school | Yes | Yes |
| Credit for military training | Yes | Yes |
| Student veteran organization | Yes | Yes |
| Tuition payment plan | Yes | Yes |
| Guaranteed (locked) tuition | Yes | No |
| Prepaid tuition plan | No | No |
| Athletics | ||
| Athletics data from | 2024-25 | 2024-25 |
| College sports level | NCAA Division I-FBS | NCAA Division I-FBS |
| Football team | Yes | Yes |
| Varsity teams | 13 | 12 |
| Student athletes | 372 | 375 |
| Athletic scholarships | $13.7M | $10.9M |
| Athletics budget | $161.5M | $55.8M |
| Athletics revenue | $161.7M | $55.8M |
| Recruiting spend | $1.9M | $1.3M |
Data: U.S. Department of Education — College Scorecard 2026-06-10, EADA athletics, IPEDS admissions — each on its own survey year. Campus life: IPEDS institutional characteristics, retrieved from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-BY 1.0). Founding year, logo, campus photo and links via Wikidata / Wikipedia. SHMACS is an independent tool and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any institution shown.