CU Boulder vs. Iowa

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

CU Boulder Iowa
Location Boulder, CO Iowa City, IA
Setting Small City Small City
Enrollment 39,585 30,015
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #191 #224
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website colorado.edu uiowa.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

CU Boulder Iowa
Tuition (In State) $11,520 $8,711
Tuition (Out of State) $38,770 $30,674
Room & Board $16,146 $11,476
Avg Net Price $21,836 $19,587
Avg Grant Aid $10,477 $9,959
% Receiving Grant Aid 57% 82%

Admission

CU Boulder Iowa
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 53,781 25,729
Admitted 43,416 22,128
Acceptance Rate 80.7% 86%
Enrolled % 16.4% 23.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.68 3.81
Typical High School Grades B+ A-
Admissions Standards Very High Challenging
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 26/32 22/28
SAT Range 1160/1390 1130/1340
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 May 1, 2024

Academics

CU Boulder Iowa
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 16:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Business (18%)
  • Social Sciences (9%)
  • Health Professions (9%)
  • Liberal Arts and Humanities (8%)
  • Communication (8%)

Outcomes

CU Boulder Iowa
Graduation Rate 68% 71%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $56,900 $59,800
Making Student Loan Payments 73% 70%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,500 $21,616
Median Loan Payment $201 $223

Diversity

CU Boulder Iowa
% Men 55% 44%
% Women 45% 56%
Racial Diversity Low Medium
HBCU No No
% White 71% 67%
% Black 2% 3%
% Hispanic 11% 7%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 3%
% International 6% 12%
% Unknown Race 1% 4%

Students

CU Boulder Iowa
% In-State 53% 54%
% Out-of-State 45% 45%

Campus

CU Boulder Iowa
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 Iowa based on total student enrollment (39,585 students vs. 30,015 students)

CU Boulder vs. Iowa Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CU Boulder or Iowa?

  • University of Colorado Boulder is 32.2% more expensive to attend than Iowa for in-state tuition ($11,520.00 vs. $8,711.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 26.4% higher at CU Boulder than University of Iowa ($38,770.00 vs. $30,674.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Iowa than CU Boulder ($19,587 vs. $21,836)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Iowa are 40.7% lower than costs at University of Colorado Boulder ($11,476 vs. $16,146)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of Iowa than University of Colorado Boulder (82% vs. 57%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of Colorado Boulder students is 5.2% larger than aid received University of Iowa ($10,477 vs. $9,959)

CU Boulder vs. Iowa Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Colorado Boulder (1212) is 48 points higher than at Iowa (1164)
  • Incoming CU Boulder students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at Iowa (26)
  • Accepted freshman Iowa students have a 0.13 point higher average high school GPA (3.81) than students at CU Boulder (3.68)
  • Iowa has a higher acceptance rate (86%) than CU Boulder (80.7%)

CU Boulder vs. Iowa Graduation Outcomes Comparison

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

  • The graduation rate at Iowa is higher than University of Colorado Boulder (71% vs. 68%)
  • Graduates from University of Iowa earn on average $2,900 more per year than CU Boulder graduates after ten years. ($59,800 vs. $56,900)
  • University of Colorado Boulder students graduate with a $2,116 lower median federal student loan debt than Iowa graduates. ($19,500 vs. $21,616)
  • CU Boulder graduates are paying $22 less per month on federal student loans than Iowa graduates. ($201 vs. $223)
  • More CU Boulder graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former Iowa students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 70%)

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