CU Boulder vs. Colorado School of Mines

Should I go to University of Colorado Boulder or Colorado School of Mines? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if CU Boulder or Colorado School of Mines is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

Add a college to compare up to four schools

Frequently compared to these colleges. Click a college to add to the comparison. 

Colorado State CU Denver DU Utah UCCS UT Austin Penn State ASU IU Cal Poly MSU South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
University of Colorado Boulder vs. Colorado School of Mines comparison
University of Colorado Boulder Colorado School of Mines College 3 College 4
University of Colorado Boulder Colorado School of Mines
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

CU Boulder Colorado School of Mines
Location Boulder, CO Golden, CO
Setting Small City Large Suburban
Enrollment 39,585 7,403
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #191 #152
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website colorado.edu mines.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

CU Boulder Colorado School of Mines
Tuition (In State) $11,520 $17,520
Tuition (Out of State) $38,770 $39,600
Room & Board $16,146 $16,110
Avg Net Price $21,836 $29,425
Avg Grant Aid $10,477 $10,614
% Receiving Grant Aid 57% 97%

Admission

CU Boulder Colorado School of Mines
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 53,781 10,886
Admitted 43,416 6,314
Acceptance Rate 80.7% 58%
Enrolled % 16.4% 23.9%
Avg High School GPA 3.68 3.84
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Very High Exceptional
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 26/32 30/33
SAT Range 1160/1390 1330/1488
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline Jan 15, 2024 Jan 15, 2024

Academics

CU Boulder Colorado School of Mines
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 17:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Engineering (89%)
  • Mathematics (7%)
  • Social Sciences (2%)
  • Physical Sciences (1%)

Outcomes

CU Boulder Colorado School of Mines
Graduation Rate 68% 70%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $56,900 $90,500
Making Student Loan Payments 73% 87%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,500 $26,000
Median Loan Payment $201 $268

Diversity

CU Boulder Colorado School of Mines
% Men 55% 69%
% Women 45% 31%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 71% 75%
% Black 2% 1%
% Hispanic 11% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 5%
% International 6% 6%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

CU Boulder Colorado School of Mines
% In-State 53% 50%
% Out-of-State 45% 48%

Campus

CU Boulder Colorado School of Mines
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes No
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • University of Colorado Boulder is larger than than Colorado School of Mines based on total student enrollment (39,585 students vs. 7,403 students)

CU Boulder vs. Colorado School of Mines Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CU Boulder or Colorado School of Mines?

  • Colorado School of Mines is 52.1% more expensive to attend than CU Boulder for in-state tuition ($17,520.00 vs. $11,520.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 2.1% higher at Colorado School of Mines than University of Colorado Boulder ($39,600.00 vs. $38,770.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Colorado Boulder than Colorado School of Mines ($21,836 vs. $29,425)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Colorado School of Mines are 0.2% lower than costs at University of Colorado Boulder ($16,110 vs. $16,146)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Colorado School of Mines than University of Colorado Boulder (97% vs. 57%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Colorado School of Mines students is 1.3% larger than aid received University of Colorado Boulder ($10,614 vs. $10,477)

CU Boulder vs. Colorado School of Mines Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, CU Boulder or Colorado School of Mines? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Colorado School of Mines or CU Boulder .

  • The average SAT score at Colorado School of Mines (1339) is 127 points higher than at CU Boulder (1212)
  • Incoming Colorado School of Mines students have a 3 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at CU Boulder (27)
  • Accepted freshman Colorado School of Mines students have a 0.16 point higher average high school GPA (3.84) than students at CU Boulder (3.68)
  • CU Boulder has a higher acceptance rate (80.7%) than Colorado School of Mines (58%)

CU Boulder vs. Colorado School of Mines Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CU Boulder or Colorado School of Mines? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between Colorado School of Mines and CU Boulder.

  • The graduation rate at Colorado School of Mines is higher than University of Colorado Boulder (70% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from Colorado School of Mines earn on average $33,600 more per year than CU Boulder graduates after ten years. ($90,500 vs. $56,900)
  • University of Colorado Boulder students graduate with a $6,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Colorado School of Mines graduates. ($19,500 vs. $26,000)
  • CU Boulder graduates are paying $67 less per month on federal student loans than Colorado School of Mines graduates. ($201 vs. $268)
  • More Colorado School of Mines graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CU Boulder students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 73%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/