CU Boulder vs. UW

Should I go to University of Colorado Boulder or University of Wyoming? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if CU Boulder or UW 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.

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University of Colorado Boulder vs. University of Wyoming comparison
University of Colorado Boulder University of Wyoming College 3 College 4
University of Colorado Boulder University of Wyoming
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Overview

CU Boulder UW
Location Boulder, CO Laramie, WY
Setting Small City Remote Town
Enrollment 39,585 11,100
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #191 #331
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website colorado.edu uwyo.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

CU Boulder UW
Tuition (In State) $11,520 $4,800
Tuition (Out of State) $38,770 $19,950
Room & Board $16,146 $11,610
Avg Net Price $21,836 $12,819
Avg Grant Aid $10,477 $8,942
% Receiving Grant Aid 57% 94%

Admission

CU Boulder UW
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 53,781 5,797
Admitted 43,416 5,564
Acceptance Rate 80.7% 96%
Enrolled % 16.4% 29.2%
Avg High School GPA 3.68 3.53
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very High Average
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 26/32 21/28
SAT Range 1160/1390 1040/1240
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not considered for admission, even if submitted (Test Blind)
Application Deadline Jan 15, 2024 Aug 10, 2024

Academics

CU Boulder UW
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 13:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Education (12%)
  • Health Professions (10%)
  • Engineering (9%)
  • Biology (7%)

Outcomes

CU Boulder UW
Graduation Rate 68% 53%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $56,900 $51,400
Making Student Loan Payments 73% 75%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,500 $18,500
Median Loan Payment $201 $191

Diversity

CU Boulder UW
% Men 55% 46%
% Women 45% 54%
Racial Diversity Low Low
HBCU No No
% White 71% 76%
% Black 2% 1%
% Hispanic 11% 7%
% Native American 0% 1%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 6% 4%
% Unknown Race 1% 7%

Students

CU Boulder UW
% In-State 53% 56%
% Out-of-State 45% 40%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of Colorado Boulder is larger than than UW based on total student enrollment (39,585 students vs. 11,100 students)

CU Boulder vs. UW Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CU Boulder or UW?

  • University of Colorado Boulder is 140% more expensive to attend than UW for in-state tuition ($11,520.00 vs. $4,800.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 94.3% higher at CU Boulder than University of Wyoming ($38,770.00 vs. $19,950.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Wyoming than CU Boulder ($12,819 vs. $21,836)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Wyoming are 39.1% lower than costs at University of Colorado Boulder ($11,610 vs. $16,146)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Wyoming than University of Colorado Boulder (94% vs. 57%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Colorado Boulder students is 17.2% larger than aid received University of Wyoming ($10,477 vs. $8,942)

CU Boulder vs. UW Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Colorado Boulder (1212) is 90 points higher than at UW (1122)
  • Incoming CU Boulder students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at UW (25)
  • Accepted freshman CU Boulder students have a 0.15 point higher average high school GPA (3.68) than students at UW (3.53)
  • UW has a higher acceptance rate (96%) than CU Boulder (80.7%)

CU Boulder vs. UW Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CU Boulder or UW? 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 UW and CU Boulder.

  • The graduation rate at CU Boulder is higher than University of Wyoming (68% vs. 53%)
  • Graduates from University of Colorado Boulder earn on average $5,500 more per year than UW graduates after ten years. ($56,900 vs. $51,400)
  • University of Wyoming students graduate with a $1,000 lower median federal student loan debt than CU Boulder graduates. ($18,500 vs. $19,500)
  • UW graduates are paying $10 less per month on federal student loans than CU Boulder graduates. ($191 vs. $201)
  • More UW graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CU Boulder students, three years after graduation. (75% vs. 73%)

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