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Colorado State CU Denver DU UC Riverside Colorado School of Mines UCSB Utah UC Davis UCCS Cal Poly San Jose State UC Merced| University of Colorado Boulder | University of California Santa Cruz | College 3 | College 4 | |
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Overview |
CU Boulder | UCSC | ||
| Location | Boulder, CO | Santa Cruz, CA | ||
| Setting | Small City | Small City | ||
| Enrollment | 41,432 | 19,764 | ||
| Type | Public 4 Year | Public 4 Year | ||
| National Ranking | #197 | #251 | ||
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | ||
| Website | colorado.edu | ucsc.edu | ||
| Team Colors |
Costs |
CU Boulder | UCSC | ||
| Tuition (In State) | $14,784 | $11,834 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tuition (Out of State) | $40,297 | $42,611 | ||
| Room & Board | $16,950 | $18,785 | ||
| Avg Net Price | $22,640 | $16,526 | ||
| Avg Grant Aid | $10,838 | $21,564 | ||
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 54% | 65% |
Admission |
CU Boulder | UCSC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applied | 56,069 | 68,845 | ||
| Admitted | 46,692 | 43,054 | ||
| Acceptance Rate | 83.3% | 62.5% | ||
| Enrolled % | 16.2% | 10.2% | ||
| Avg High School GPA | 3.68 | 3.63 | ||
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | B+ | ||
| Admissions Standards | Very High | Very High | ||
| Applicant Competition | Low | |||
| ACT Range | 28/33 | 25/33 | ||
| SAT Range | 1230/1420 | 1160/1360 | ||
| 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, 2026 | Nov 30, 2025 |
Academics |
CU Boulder | UCSC | ||
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 19:1 | 22:1 | ||
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Outcomes |
CU Boulder | UCSC | ||
| Graduation Rate | 68% | 73% | ||
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $56,900 | $50,400 | ||
| Making Student Loan Payments | 73% | 74% | ||
| Median Student Loan Debt | $19,500 | $19,959 | ||
| Median Loan Payment | $201 | $206 |
Diversity |
CU Boulder | UCSC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 14% | 5% | ||
| % Women | 9% | 5% | ||
| Racial Diversity | Low | Very High | ||
| HBCU | No | No | ||
| % White | 71% | 33% | ||
| % Black | 2% | 2% | ||
| % Hispanic | 11% | 31% | ||
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | ||
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 7% | ||
| % International | 6% | 4% | ||
| % Unknown Race | 1% | 2% |
Students |
CU Boulder | UCSC | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 53% | 91% | ||
| % Out-of-State | 45% | 7% | ||
Campus |
CU Boulder | UCSC | ||
| 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 UCSC based on total student enrollment (41,432 students vs. 19,764 students)
CU Boulder vs. UCSC Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, CU Boulder or UCSC?
- University of Colorado Boulder is 24.9% more expensive to attend than UCSC for in-state tuition ($14,784.00 vs. $11,834.00)
- Out of state tuition is 5.7% higher at UCSC than University of Colorado Boulder ($42,611.00 vs. $40,297.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of California Santa Cruz than CU Boulder ($16,526 vs. $22,640)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Colorado Boulder are 10.8% lower than costs at University of California Santa Cruz ($16,950 vs. $18,785)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of California Santa Cruz than University of Colorado Boulder (65% vs. 54%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of California Santa Cruz students is 99% larger than aid received University of Colorado Boulder ($21,564 vs. $10,838)
CU Boulder vs. UCSC Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, CU Boulder or UCSC? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between UCSC or CU Boulder .
- The average SAT score at University of Colorado Boulder (1212) is 11 points higher than at UCSC (1201)
- Incoming UCSC students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at CU Boulder (27)
- Accepted freshman CU Boulder students have a 0.05 point higher average high school GPA (3.68) than students at UCSC (3.63)
- CU Boulder has a higher acceptance rate (83.3%) than UCSC (62.5%)
CU Boulder vs. UCSC Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, CU Boulder or UCSC? 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 UCSC and CU Boulder.
- The graduation rate at UCSC is higher than University of Colorado Boulder (73% vs. 68%)
- Graduates from University of Colorado Boulder earn on average $6,500 more per year than UCSC graduates after ten years. ($56,900 vs. $50,400)
- University of Colorado Boulder students graduate with a $459 lower median federal student loan debt than UCSC graduates. ($19,500 vs. $19,959)
- CU Boulder graduates are paying $5 less per month on federal student loans than UCSC graduates. ($201 vs. $206)
- More UCSC graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CU Boulder students, three years after graduation. (74% vs. 73%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/