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UT Dallas CU Boulder Texas A&M Colorado State UTSA Michigan SMU UT Arlington Florida Rice Purdue UW-Seattle| University of Colorado Denver | University of Denver | The University of Texas at Austin | College 4 | |
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Overview |
CU Denver | DU | UT Austin | |
| Location | Denver, CO | Denver, CO | Austin, TX | |
| Setting | Large City | Large City | Large City | |
| Enrollment | 23,409 | 13,387 | 53,082 | |
| Type | Public 4 Year | Private 4 Year | Public 4 Year | |
| National Ranking | #391 | #86 | #105 | |
| Religious Affiliation | - | - | - | - |
| Status | Non-profit | Non-profit | Non-profit | |
| Website | ucdenver.edu | du.edu | utexas.edu | |
| Team Colors |
Costs |
CU Denver | DU | UT Austin | |
| Tuition (In State) | $9,096 | $58,032 | $11,678 | |
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| Tuition (Out of State) | $27,288 | $58,032 | $42,778 | |
| Room & Board | $14,920 | $17,049 | $14,136 | |
| Avg Net Price | $15,303 | $43,324 | $18,036 | |
| Avg Grant Aid | $8,079 | $32,023 | $12,060 | |
| % Receiving Grant Aid | 86% | 99% | 47% |
Admission |
CU Denver | DU | UT Austin | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applied | 14,569 | 19,214 | 66,109 | |
| Admitted | 11,336 | 13,679 | 19,253 | |
| Acceptance Rate | 77.8% | 71.2% | 29.1% | |
| Enrolled % | 14.4% | 10.7% | 48.7% | |
| Avg High School GPA | 3.46 | 3.72 | 3.8 | |
| Typical High School Grades | B+ | A- | A- | |
| Admissions Standards | Moderate | Very High | Exceptional | |
| Applicant Competition | Low | High | ||
| ACT Range | 21/27 | 29/32 | 27/33 | |
| SAT Range | 980/1220 | 1240/1410 | 1230/1490 | |
| Submit Test Scores | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) | |
| Application Deadline | Aug 1, 2026 | Jan 15, 2026 | Dec 1, 2025 |
Academics |
CU Denver | DU | UT Austin | |
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| Student to Faculty Ratio | 16:1 | 10:1 | 18:1 | |
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Outcomes |
CU Denver | DU | UT Austin | |
| Graduation Rate | 40% | 78% | 81% | |
| Median Earnings (After 10 years) | $68,200 | $63,400 | $68,600 | |
| Making Student Loan Payments | 61% | 72% | 77% | |
| Median Student Loan Debt | $21,190 | $23,699 | $22,250 | |
| Median Loan Payment | $219 | $245 | $230 |
Diversity |
CU Denver | DU | UT Austin | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % Men | 14% | 17% | 10% | |
| % Women | 26% | 35% | 10% | |
| Racial Diversity | High | Medium | Very High | |
| HBCU | No | No | No | |
| % White | 51% | 67% | 44% | |
| % Black | 5% | 2% | 4% | |
| % Hispanic | 19% | 10% | 22% | |
| % Native American | 0% | 0% | 0% | |
| % Pacific Islander | 0% | 0% | 0% | |
| % Two or More Races | 5% | 4% | 4% | |
| % International | 8% | 9% | 5% | |
| % Unknown Race | 2% | 3% | 1% |
Students |
CU Denver | DU | UT Austin | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| % In-State | 85% | 28% | 88% | |
| % Out-of-State | 13% | 69% | 9% | |
Campus |
CU Denver | DU | UT Austin | |
| Campus Housing | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Freshman Dorm Required | No | No | No | |
| Meal Plan | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
| Weekend/Evening Classes | Yes | Yes | No | |
| Daycare Facility | Yes | No | Yes | |
| Learn More | Details | Details | Details |
Comparable Facts
- University of Colorado Denver is larger than than DU based on total student enrollment (23,409 students vs. 13,387 students)
CU Denver vs. DU Cost Comparison
Which college is more expensive, CU Denver or DU?
- University of Denver is 538% more expensive to attend than CU Denver for in-state tuition ($58,032.00 vs. $9,096.00)
- Out of state tuition is 112.7% higher at DU than University of Colorado Denver ($58,032.00 vs. $27,288.00)
- The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at University of Colorado Denver than DU ($15,303 vs. $43,324)
- Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at University of Colorado Denver are 14.3% lower than costs at University of Denver ($14,920 vs. $17,049)
- More students receive financial grant aid at University of Denver than University of Colorado Denver (99% vs. 86%)
- The average total grant financial aid received by University of Denver students is 296.4% larger than aid received University of Colorado Denver ($32,023 vs. $8,079)
CU Denver vs. DU Admissions Difficulty Comparison
Which college is harder to get into, CU Denver or DU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between DU or CU Denver .
- The average SAT score at University of Denver (1249) is 194 points higher than at CU Denver (1055)
- Incoming DU students have a 5 point higher average ACT score (28) than students at CU Denver (23)
- Accepted freshman DU students have a 0.26 point higher average high school GPA (3.72) than students at CU Denver (3.46)
- CU Denver has a higher acceptance rate (77.8%) than DU (71.2%)
CU Denver vs. DU Graduation Outcomes Comparison
Which is better, CU Denver or DU? 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 DU and CU Denver.
- The graduation rate at DU is higher than University of Colorado Denver (78% vs. 40%)
- Graduates from University of Colorado Denver earn on average $4,800 more per year than DU graduates after ten years. ($68,200 vs. $63,400)
- University of Colorado Denver students graduate with a $2,509 lower median federal student loan debt than DU graduates. ($21,190 vs. $23,699)
- CU Denver graduates are paying $26 less per month on federal student loans than DU graduates. ($219 vs. $245)
- More DU graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former CU Denver students, three years after graduation. (72% vs. 61%)
Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/