University of Colorado Boulder

www.colorado.edu

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2023 Undergraduate Tuition

$13,910

26.4% growth from 2022

2023 Average Net Price

$22,640

After Financial Aid

2020 Default Rate

on Student Loans

2023 Acceptance Rate

83.3%

56,069 Applicants

2023 Enrolled Students

41,432

82.9% Full-Time

2023 Graduation Rate

75%

4,853 Graduates

About

University of Colorado Boulder is a higher education institution located in Boulder County, CO. In 2023, the most popular Bachelors Degree concentrations at University of Colorado Boulder were General Business Administration & Management (1,201 degrees awarded), General Psychology (585 degrees), and Computer Science (483 degrees).

In 2023, 10,241 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at University of Colorado Boulder. 47% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 53% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (6,689 degrees), 5.78 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (1,157 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at University of Colorado Boulder is $13,910, which is $−17,093 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($31,004).

In 2020 the default rate for borrower's at University of Colorado Boulder was 0%, corresponding to 0 out of the 4,322 total borrowers.

Photo by Ken Lund

Doctoral Universities: Highest Research Activity Doctoral Universities

Costs

In 2023, the median undergraduate tuition at University of Colorado Boulder is $13,910, which is $17,094 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($31,004).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $22,640.

In 2023, 49% of undergraduate students attending University of Colorado Boulder received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 24% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$13,910

2023 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2023, the cost of tuition at University of Colorado Boulder was $13,910. The cost of tuition at University of Colorado Boulder is $−17,094 less than than the overall (public and private) national average for Doctoral Universities ($31,004).

This chart compares the tuition costs of University of Colorado Boulder (in red) with those of other similar universities.

Average Net Price

$22,640

2023 Value

3.68%

1 Year Growth

In 2023 University of Colorado Boulder had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $22,640. Between 2022 and 2023, the average net price of University of Colorado Boulder grew by 3.68%.

This chart compares the average net price of University of Colorado Boulder (in red) with that of other similar universities.

Average net price is calculated from full-time beginning undergraduate students who were awarded a grant or scholarship from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.

Other Student Expenses

$15,655

Room and Board

$1,200

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at University of Colorado Boulder was of $15,655 in 2023. The cost of room and board increased by 9% between 2022 and 2023.

During the same period, the average yearly cost of books and supplies was $1,200. The cost of books and supplies did not change during the same period.

This chart compares the average student costs at University of Colorado Boulder (in red) with that of similar universities.

Financial Aid by Income Level

49%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

24%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

49% of undergraduate students at University of Colorado Boulder received financial aid through grants or loans in 2023. This represents a decline of 12.5% with respect to 2022, when 56% of undergraduate students received financial aid.

This chart compares the average award discount at University of Colorado Boulder (in red) with that of other similar universities.

The average award discount is the ratio between the average grant or scholarship value, and the cost, which is the sum of out-of-state tuition, room, board, book, supplies, and other expenses.

Student Loan Default Rate

Cohort default rates only account for borrowers who default in the first three years, and some schools only have a small proportion of borrowers entering repayment. These rates should be interpreted with caution, as they may not be reflective of the entire school population.

2020 Default Rate

Number of Defaults

In 2020 the default rate for borrower's at University of Colorado Boulder was 0%, which represents 0 out of the 4322 total borrowers.

A cohort default rate is the percentage of a school's borrowers who enter repayment on certain Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program or William D. Ford Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program loans during a particular federal fiscal year (FY), October 1 to September 30, and default or meet other specified conditions prior to the end of the second following fiscal year.

Admissions

University of Colorado Boulder received 56,069 undergraduate applications in 2023, which represents a 4.25% annual growth. Out of those 56,069 applicants, 46,692 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 83.3% acceptance rate.

There were 41,432 students enrolled at University of Colorado Boulder in 2023. 20% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

University of Colorado Boulder has an overall enrollment yield of 16.2%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

83.3%

Acceptance Rate in 2023

46,692

Accepted Out of 56,069

In 2023, the undergraduate acceptance rate of University of Colorado Boulder was 83.3% (46,692 admissions from 56,069 applications). This is higher than the acceptance rate of 2022, which was 80.7%. Between 2022 and 2023, the number of applicants grew by 4.25%, while admissions grew by 7.55%.

This chart compares the acceptance rate of University of Colorado Boulder (in red) with that of other similar universities, and the chart below shows the acceptance rate by gender.

SAT Scores

20%

Submission Percentage (2023)

1,477

Scores Submitted (2023)

20% of enrolled first-time students at University of Colorado Boulder in 2023 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

The following chart shows the average SAT scores for the 25th, 50th, and 75th percentile of applicants for each section of the test that they are evaluated on.

Enrollment

University of Colorado Boulder had a total enrollment of 41,432 students in 2023. The full-time enrollment at University of Colorado Boulder is 34,350 students and the part-time enrollment is 7,082. This means that 82.9% of students enrolled at University of Colorado Boulder are enrolled full-time.

The enrolled student population at University of Colorado Boulder, both undergraduate and graduate, is 63.7% White, 12.6% Hispanic or Latino, 6.35% Asian, 6.02% Two or More Races, 1.93% Black or African American, 0.215% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0965% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at University of Colorado Boulder in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Male (36.3%), followed by White Female (31.8%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (6.59%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Male (28.2%), followed by White Female (25.8%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (5.2%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

82.9%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at University of Colorado Boulder in 2023, both undergraduate and graduate, is 41,432 students. The full-time enrollment at University of Colorado Boulder is 34,350 and the part-time enrollment is 7,082. This means that 82.9% of students enrolled at University of Colorado Boulder are enrolled full-time compared with 77.9% at similar Doctoral Universities.

This chart shows the full-time vs part-time enrollment status at University of Colorado Boulder (in red) compares to similar universities.

Retention Rate over Time

89%

2023 Retention Rate

Retention rate measures the number of first-time students who began their studies the previous fall and returned to school the following fall. The retention rate for full-time undergraduates at University of Colorado Boulder was 89%. Compared with the full-time retention rate at similar Doctoral Universities (84%), University of Colorado Boulder had a retention rate higher than its peers.

This chart shows the retention rate over time at University of Colorado Boulder (highlighted in red) compares to similar universities.

Enrollment by Race & Ethnicity

Most Common Race or Ethnicity (2023)

White
26,379 enrolled students
Hispanic or Latino
5,204 enrolled students
Asian
2,629 enrolled students

The enrolled student population at University of Colorado Boulder is 63.7% White, 12.6% Hispanic or Latino, 6.35% Asian, 6.02% Two or More Races, 1.93% Black or African American, 0.215% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0965% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders. This includes both full-time and part-time students as well as graduate and undergraduates. By comparison, enrollment for all Doctoral Universities is 46.5% White, 15.9% Hispanic or Latino, and 9.78% Black or African American.

Any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis is categorized as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the share of those students are shown in the chart below. Additionally, 546 students (1.32%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2023, 609 fewer women than men received degrees from University of Colorado Boulder. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients at University of Colorado Boulder is white (6,689 degrees awarded). There were 5.78 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (1,157 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at University of Colorado Boulder is General Business Administration & Management (1,201 degrees awarded), followed by General Psychology (585 degrees) and Computer Science (483 degrees).

In 2023, the most specialized majors across all degree types at University of Colorado Boulder, meaning they have significantly more degrees awarded in that concentration than the national average across all institutions, are Natural Resources & Conservation (320 degrees awarded), Engineering (1,676 degrees), and Physical Sciences (395 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Software developers

Most Common Job

The most common jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at University of Colorado Boulder are Software developers (519,640 people), Other managers (505,253 people), Miscellaneous engineers, including nuclear engineers (384,585 people), Civil engineers (307,737 people), and Mechanical engineers (220,757 people).

The most specialized majors at University of Colorado Boulder in 2023 are Natural Resources & Conservation (320 degrees awarded), Engineering (1,676 degrees), Physical Sciences (395 degrees), Communications (778 degrees), and Architecture and Related Services (129 degrees) (as of 2023).

Highest Paying Jobs by Major

Podiatrists

Highest Paying Job

The highest paying jobs for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at University of Colorado Boulder are Podiatrists, Surgeons, Nuclear medicine technologists and medical dosimetrists, Physicians, and Securities, commodities, & financial services sales agents

The most specialized majors at University of Colorado Boulder are Natural Resources & Conservation (320 degrees awarded), Engineering (1,676 degrees), Physical Sciences (395 degrees), Communications (778 degrees), and Architecture and Related Services (129 degrees) (as of 2023).

Common Industries by Major

Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges

Most Common Industry

The most common industries for people who hold a degree in one of the 5 most specialized majors at University of Colorado Boulder are Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (641,475 people), Computer Systems Design (609,232 people), General medical and surgical hospitals, and specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals (601,573 people), Architectural, engineering & related services (491,492 people), and Elementary & secondary schools (427,147 people).

Majors Awarded

IPEDS uses the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) standard, so the categories may not match the exact concentrations offered by University of Colorado Boulder.

Most Common (2023)

General Business Administration & Management
1,201 degrees awarded
General Psychology
585 degrees awarded
Computer Science
483 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common bachelors degree concentration at University of Colorado Boulder was General Business Administration & Management with 1,201 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of degree-majors recipients from bachelors degree programs at University of Colorado Boulder according to their major.

Sex Breakdown for Common Majors

5,425

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2023

4,816

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2023

In 2023, 5,425 degrees were awarded to men at University of Colorado Boulder, which is 1.13 times more than the number of degrees awarded to females (4,816).

This chart displays the sex disparity between the top 5 majors at University of Colorado Boulder by degrees awarded.

Most Common Male Majors

In 2023, 938 degrees were awarded to men at University of Colorado Boulder in General Business Administration & Management, which is 2 times more than the 469 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2023, 469 degrees were awarded to men at University of Colorado Boulder in General Business Administration & Management, which is 0.5 times less than the 938 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

53%

100% Completion Time

74%

150% Completion Time

In 2023, 53% of students graduating from University of Colorado Boulder completed their program within 100% "normal time" (i.e. 4 years for a 4-year degree). Comparatively, 74% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 75% within 200%.

The following chart shows these completion rates over time compared to the average for the Doctoral Universities Carnegie Classification group.

Graduation rate is defined as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within a specific percentage of "normal time" to completion for their program.

Graduation Rate by Race and Sex

Showing demographic groups with ≥ 5 graduating students.

Asian Female

Highest Graduation Rate (85.3%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate in 2023 at University of Colorado Boulder is Female and Asian (85.3% graduation rate). Across all Doctoral Universities, Non-resident Alien Male students have the highest graduation rate (65.7%).

The department of education defines graduation rate as the percentage of full-time, first-time students who received a degree or award within 150% of "normal time" to completion.

The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) categorizes any student who is studying in the United States on a temporary basis as a "Non-Resident Alien", and the graduation rate of those students is shown in the chart below. Additionally, 0.247% of graduates (12 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2023)

White
6,689 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
1,157 degrees awarded
Asian
629 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at University of Colorado Boulder is white (6,689 degrees awarded). There were 5.78 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (1,157 degrees).

0.84% of degree recipients (86 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic (2023)

White Male
3,471 degrees awarded
White Female
3,218 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino Female
579 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at University of Colorado Boulder is white male (3,471 degrees awarded). There were 1.08 times more white male recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white female (3,218 degrees).

Operations

University of Colorado Boulder employs 503 Professors, 458 Instructors and 372 Associate professors. Most academics at University of Colorado Boulder are Male Professor (357), Female Instructor (229), and Male Instructor (229).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at University of Colorado Boulder are: Computer, Engineering, and Science, with 1,402 employees, Management, with 1,111 employees, and Research with 898 employees.

Government Grants and Contracts

Grants & Contracts

$549M - Federal
$76.6M - State
$2.14M - Local

As of 2023, University of Colorado Boulder received $549M in grants and contracts from the federal government, $76.6M from state grants and contracts, and $2.14M from local grants and contracts.

Salary Expenditure

$885M

2023 Salaries

6.36%

growth from 2022

In 2023, University of Colorado Boulder paid a median of $885M in salaries, a 6.36% growth from the previous year. This is compared to a 8.23% growth between 2021 and 2022, and a 1.95% decline between 2020 and 2021.

The median for similar Doctoral Universities is 246M (41.5% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$189M

Instructional Salaries

1,616

Number of Employees

In 2023, University of Colorado Boulder paid a total of $189M to 1,616 employees working as instructors, which represents 21.4% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $6.13M (2.35%) for similar Doctoral Universities.

Occupations by Share

Professor

Most Common Instructor

503 Employees

Computer, Engineering, and Science

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

1,402 Employees

In 2023, the most common positions for instructional staff at University of Colorado Boulder were Professor with 503 employees, Instructor with 458 employees, and Associate professor with 372 employees.

In 2023, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at University of Colorado Boulder were Computer, Engineering, and Science with 1,402 employees, Management with 1,111 employees, and Research with 898 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Sex

Most Common Demographic (2023)

Male Professor
Female Instructor
Male Instructor

In 2023, the most common demographic for instructional staff at University of Colorado Boulder was Male Professor with 357 employees, Female Instructor with 229 employees, and Male Instructor with 229 employees.

This chart shows the sex split between each academic rank present at University of Colorado Boulder.

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