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Colorado State IU CU Denver DU Virginia Tech Illinois Utah Rose-Hulman UCCS Wisconsin UT Austin Ohio State| Colorado School of Mines | Purdue University Main Campus | University of Colorado Boulder | College 4 | |
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Overview |
Colorado School of Mines | Purdue | CU Boulder | |
| Location | Golden, CO | West Lafayette, IN | Boulder, CO | |
| Setting | Large Suburban | Midsize Suburban | Small City | |
| Enrollment | 7,599 | 52,905 | 41,432 | |
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | |
| National Ranking | #159 | #103 | #197 | |
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | Non-profit | |
| Website | mines.edu | purdue.edu | colorado.edu | |
| Team Colors |
Costs |
Colorado School of Mines | Purdue | CU Boulder | |
| Tuition (In State) | $18,390 | $9,718 | $14,784 | |
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $41,580 | $28,520 | $40,297 | |
| Room & Board | $16,820 | $11,650 | $16,950 | |
| Avg Net Price | $29,785 | $12,421 | $22,640 | |
| Avg Grant Aid | $11,204 | $11,126 | $10,838 | |
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 94% | 39% | 54% |
Admission |
Colorado School of Mines | Purdue | CU Boulder | |
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| Applied | 9,821 | 73,083 | 56,069 | |
| Admitted | 5,864 | 36,763 | 46,692 | |
| Acceptance Rate | 59.7% | 50.3% | 83.3% | |
| Enrolled % | 24.7% | 25.5% | 16.2% | |
| Avg High School GPA | 3.84 | 3.67 | 3.68 | |
| Typical High School Grades | A- | B+ | B+ | |
| Admissions Standards | Exceptional | Exceptional | Very High | |
| Applicant Competition | Low | Low | ||
| ACT Range | 29/33 | 27/34 | 28/33 | |
| SAT Range | 1320/1470 | 1190/1460 | 1230/1420 | |
| Submit Test Scores | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | Required to be considered for admission | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | |
| Application Deadline | Jan 15, 2026 | Jan 15, 2026 |
Academics |
Colorado School of Mines | Purdue | CU Boulder | |
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 17:1 | 14:1 | 19:1 | |
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Outcomes |
Colorado School of Mines | Purdue | CU Boulder | |
| Graduation Rate | 70% | 68% | 68% | |
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $90,500 | $61,200 | $56,900 | |
| Making Student Loan Payments | 87% | 78% | 73% | |
| Median Student Loan Debt | $26,000 | $21,500 | $19,500 | |
| Median Loan Payment | $268 | $222 | $201 |
Diversity |
Colorado School of Mines | Purdue | CU Boulder | |
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| % Men | 16% | 15% | 14% | |
| % Women | 7% | 10% | 9% | |
| Racial Diversity | Low | Medium | Low | |
| HBCU | No | No | No | |
| % White | 75% | 65% | 71% | |
| % Black | 1% | 3% | 2% | |
| % Hispanic | 7% | 4% | 11% | |
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | 0% | |
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% | |
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 2% | 5% | |
| % International | 6% | 17% | 6% | |
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 2% | 1% |
Students |
Colorado School of Mines | Purdue | CU Boulder | |
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| % In-State | 49% | 46% | 53% | |
| % Out-of-State | 47% | 44% | 45% | |
Campus |
Colorado School of Mines | Purdue | CU Boulder | |
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | No | |
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Weekend/Evening Classes | No | No | No | |
| Daycare Facility | No | Yes | Yes | |
| Learn More | Details | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- Purdue University Main Campus is larger than than Colorado School of Mines based on total student enrollment (52,905 students vs. 7,599 students)
Colorado School of Mines vs. Purdue Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, Colorado School of Mines or Purdue?
- Colorado School of Mines is 89.2% more expensive to attend than Purdue for in-state tuition ($18,390.00 vs. $9,718.00)
- Out of state tuition is 45.8% higher at Colorado School of Mines than Purdue University Main Campus ($41,580.00 vs. $28,520.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Purdue University Main Campus than Colorado School of Mines ($12,421 vs. $29,785)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Purdue University Main Campus are 44.4% lower than costs at Colorado School of Mines ($11,650 vs. $16,820)
- More students receive financial grant aid at Colorado School of Mines than Purdue University Main Campus (94% vs. 39%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by Colorado School of Mines students is 0.7% larger than aid received Purdue University Main Campus ($11,204 vs. $11,126)
Colorado School of Mines vs. Purdue Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, Colorado School of Mines or Purdue? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between Purdue or Colorado School of Mines .
- The average SAT score at Colorado School of Mines (1339) is 108 points higher than at Purdue (1231)
- Incoming Colorado School of Mines students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (30) than students at Purdue (28)
- Accepted freshman Colorado School of Mines students have a 0.17 point higher average high school GPA (3.84) than students at Purdue (3.67)
- Colorado School of Mines has a higher acceptance rate (59.7%) than Purdue (50.3%)
Colorado School of Mines vs. Purdue Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, Colorado School of Mines or Purdue? 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 Purdue and Colorado School of Mines.
- The graduation rate at Colorado School of Mines is higher than Purdue University Main Campus (70% vs. 68%)
- Graduates from Colorado School of Mines earn on average $29,300 more per year than Purdue graduates after ten years. ($90,500 vs. $61,200)
- Purdue University Main Campus students graduate with a $4,500 lower median federal student loan debt than Colorado School of Mines graduates. ($21,500 vs. $26,000)
- Purdue graduates are paying $46 less per month on federal student loans than Colorado School of Mines graduates. ($222 vs. $268)
- More Colorado School of Mines graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Purdue students, three years after graduation. (87% vs. 78%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/