CU Boulder vs. BYU

Should I go to University of Colorado Boulder or Brigham Young University Provo? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if CU Boulder or BYU 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. Brigham Young University Provo comparison
University of Colorado Boulder Brigham Young University Provo College 3 College 4
University of Colorado Boulder Brigham Young University Provo
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Overview

CU Boulder BYU
Location Boulder, CO Provo, UT
Setting Small City Midsize City
Enrollment 39,585 34,464
Type Public 4 Year Private 4 Year
National Ranking #191 #125
Religious Affiliation - Latter Day Saints (Mormon Church) - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website colorado.edu byu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

CU Boulder BYU
Tuition (In State) $11,520 $6,304
Tuition (Out of State) $38,770 $6,304
Room & Board $16,146 $8,560
Avg Net Price $21,836 $13,521
Avg Grant Aid $10,477 $6,325
% Receiving Grant Aid 57% 46%

Admission

CU Boulder BYU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 53,781 10,559
Admitted 43,416 7,040
Acceptance Rate 80.7% 66.7%
Enrolled % 16.4% 79%
Avg High School GPA 3.68 3.89
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Very High Very High
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 26/32 27/32
SAT Range 1160/1390 1280/1468
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 Dec 16, 2023

Academics

CU Boulder BYU
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 21:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Business (13%)
  • Biology (11%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • Education (10%)
  • Visual and Performing Arts (6%)

Outcomes

CU Boulder BYU
Graduation Rate 68% 78%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $56,900 $69,100
Making Student Loan Payments 73% 80%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,500 $11,000
Median Loan Payment $201 $113

Diversity

CU Boulder BYU
% Men 55% 49%
% Women 45% 51%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No No
% White 71% 83%
% Black 2% 0%
% Hispanic 11% 6%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 1%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 6% 3%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

CU Boulder BYU
% In-State 53% 36%
% Out-of-State 45% 62%

Campus

CU Boulder BYU
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 BYU based on total student enrollment (39,585 students vs. 34,464 students)

CU Boulder vs. BYU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CU Boulder or BYU?

  • University of Colorado Boulder is 82.7% more expensive to attend than BYU for in-state tuition ($11,520.00 vs. $6,304.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 515% higher at CU Boulder than Brigham Young University Provo ($38,770.00 vs. $6,304.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Brigham Young University Provo than CU Boulder ($13,521 vs. $21,836)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Brigham Young University Provo are 88.6% lower than costs at University of Colorado Boulder ($8,560 vs. $16,146)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Colorado Boulder than Brigham Young University Provo (57% vs. 46%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Colorado Boulder students is 65.6% larger than aid received Brigham Young University Provo ($10,477 vs. $6,325)

CU Boulder vs. BYU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at Brigham Young University Provo (1290) is 78 points higher than at CU Boulder (1212)
  • Incoming BYU students have a 2 point higher average ACT score (29) than students at CU Boulder (27)
  • Accepted freshman BYU students have a 0.21 point higher average high school GPA (3.89) than students at CU Boulder (3.68)
  • CU Boulder has a higher acceptance rate (80.7%) than BYU (66.7%)

CU Boulder vs. BYU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at BYU is higher than University of Colorado Boulder (78% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from Brigham Young University Provo earn on average $12,200 more per year than CU Boulder graduates after ten years. ($69,100 vs. $56,900)
  • Brigham Young University Provo students graduate with a $8,500 lower median federal student loan debt than CU Boulder graduates. ($11,000 vs. $19,500)
  • BYU graduates are paying $88 less per month on federal student loans than CU Boulder graduates. ($113 vs. $201)
  • More BYU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CU Boulder students, three years after graduation. (80% vs. 73%)

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