CU Boulder vs. USF Main Campus

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

CU Boulder USF Main Campus
Location Boulder, CO Tampa, FL
Setting Small City Large City
Enrollment 39,585 49,600
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #191 #423
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website colorado.edu usf.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

CU Boulder USF Main Campus
Tuition (In State) $11,520 $4,559
Tuition (Out of State) $38,770 $15,473
Room & Board $16,146 $12,622
Avg Net Price $21,836 $11,004
Avg Grant Aid $10,477 $11,066
% Receiving Grant Aid 57% 87%

Admission

CU Boulder USF Main Campus
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 53,781 65,568
Admitted 43,416 28,801
Acceptance Rate 80.7% 43.9%
Enrolled % 16.4% 23.6%
Avg High School GPA 3.68 3.64
Typical High School Grades B+ B+
Admissions Standards Very High Difficult
Applicant Competition Low
ACT Range 26/32 24/29
SAT Range 1160/1390 1140/1330
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Required to be considered for admission
Application Deadline Jan 15, 2024 May 1, 2024

Academics

CU Boulder USF Main Campus
Student to Faculty Ratio 18:1 22:1
Popular Majors
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Business (12%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (10%)
  • Communication (8%)
  • Business (20%)
  • Social Sciences (16%)
  • Biology (10%)
  • Psychology (9%)
  • Education (8%)

Outcomes

CU Boulder USF Main Campus
Graduation Rate 68% 52%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $56,900 $46,500
Making Student Loan Payments 73% 57%
Median Student Loan Debt $19,500 $19,147
Median Loan Payment $201 $197

Diversity

CU Boulder USF Main Campus
% Men 55% 42%
% Women 45% 58%
Racial Diversity Low High
HBCU No No
% White 71% 51%
% Black 2% 11%
% Hispanic 11% 21%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 5% 4%
% International 6% 5%
% Unknown Race 1% 1%

Students

CU Boulder USF Main Campus
% In-State 53% 74%
% Out-of-State 45% 16%

Campus

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

Comparable Facts

  • University of South Florida Main Campus is larger than than CU Boulder based on total student enrollment (49,600 students vs. 39,585 students)

CU Boulder vs. USF Main Campus Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, CU Boulder or USF Main Campus?

  • University of Colorado Boulder is 152.7% more expensive to attend than USF Main Campus for in-state tuition ($11,520.00 vs. $4,559.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 150.6% higher at CU Boulder than University of South Florida Main Campus ($38,770.00 vs. $15,473.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of South Florida Main Campus than CU Boulder ($11,004 vs. $21,836)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of South Florida Main Campus are 27.9% lower than costs at University of Colorado Boulder ($12,622 vs. $16,146)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at University of South Florida Main Campus than University of Colorado Boulder (87% vs. 57%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by University of South Florida Main Campus students is 5.6% larger than aid received University of Colorado Boulder ($11,066 vs. $10,477)

CU Boulder vs. USF Main Campus Admissions Difficulty Comparison

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

  • The average SAT score at University of Colorado Boulder (1212) is 35 points higher than at USF Main Campus (1177)
  • Incoming CU Boulder students have a 1 point higher average ACT score (27) than students at USF Main Campus (26)
  • Accepted freshman CU Boulder students have a 0.04 point higher average high school GPA (3.68) than students at USF Main Campus (3.64)
  • CU Boulder has a higher acceptance rate (80.7%) than USF Main Campus (43.9%)

CU Boulder vs. USF Main Campus Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, CU Boulder or USF Main Campus? 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 USF Main Campus and CU Boulder.

  • The graduation rate at CU Boulder is higher than University of South Florida Main Campus (68% vs. 52%)
  • Graduates from University of Colorado Boulder earn on average $10,400 more per year than USF Main Campus graduates after ten years. ($56,900 vs. $46,500)
  • University of South Florida Main Campus students graduate with a $353 lower median federal student loan debt than CU Boulder graduates. ($19,147 vs. $19,500)
  • USF Main Campus graduates are paying $4 less per month on federal student loans than CU Boulder graduates. ($197 vs. $201)
  • More CU Boulder graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former USF Main Campus students, three years after graduation. (73% vs. 57%)

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