University of Colorado Boulder

www.colorado.edu/

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2021 Undergraduate Tuition

$10,806

0.727% growth from 2020

2021 Average Net Price

$22,532

After Financial Aid

2019 Student Loan

1.12%

Default Rate

2021 Acceptance Rate

79.6%

109,512 Applicants

2021 Enrolled Students

78,000

80.4% Full-Time

2021 Graduation Rate

74%

9,126 Graduates

About

University of Colorado Boulder is a higher education institution located in Boulder County, CO. In 2021, the most popular Bachelors Degree concentrations at University of Colorado Boulder were General Business Administration & Management (1,105 degrees awarded), General Psychology (512 degrees), and Computer Science (475 degrees).

In 2021, 9,728 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs at University of Colorado Boulder. 45.7% of these degrees were awarded to women, and 54.3% awarded men. The most common race/ethnicity group of degree recipients was white (6,382 degrees), 5.71 times more than then the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (1,117 degrees).

The median undergraduate tuition at University of Colorado Boulder is $10,806, which is $−18,186 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,992).

Photo by Ken Lund

Doctoral Universities: Highest Research Activity Doctoral Universities

Costs

In 2021, the median undergraduate tuition at University of Colorado Boulder is $10,806, which is $−18,186 less than the national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,992).

After taking grants and loans into account, the average net price for students is $22,532.

In 2021, 55% of undergraduate students attending University of Colorado Boulder received financial aid through grants. Comparatively, 25% of undergraduate students received financial aid through loans.

Tuition Costs

$10,806

2021 Undergraduate Tuition

In 2021, the cost of tuition at University of Colorado Boulder was $10,806. The cost of tuition at University of Colorado Boulder is $−18,186 less than than the overall (public and private) national average for Doctoral Universities ($28,992).

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

Average Net Price

$22,532

2021 Value

6.29%

1 Year Growth

In 2021 University of Colorado Boulder had an average net price — the price paid after factoring in grants and loans — of $22,532. Between 2020 and 2021, the average net price of University of Colorado Boulder grew by 6.29%.

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

$14,135

Room and Board

$1,200

Books and Supplies

The average yearly cost of room and board at University of Colorado Boulder was of $14,135 in 2021. The cost of room and board increased by 1.59% between 2020 and 2021.

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

55%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Grants

25%

Undergraduates Receiving Financial Aid through Loans

55% of undergraduate students at University of Colorado Boulder received financial aid through grants or loans in 2021. This represents a growth of 10% with respect to 2020, when 50% 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.

1.12%

2019 Default Rate

Number of Defaults

In 2019 the default rate for borrower's at University of Colorado Boulder was 1.12%, which represents 47 out of the 4178 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 109,512 undergraduate applications in 2021, which represents a 23.9% annual growth. Out of those 109,512 applicants, 87,152 students were accepted for enrollment, representing a 79.6% acceptance rate.

There were 78,000 students enrolled at University of Colorado Boulder in 2021. 32% of first-time enrollees submitted SAT scores with their applications.

University of Colorado Boulder has an overall enrollment yield of 15.6%, which represents the number of admitted students who ended up enrolling.

Acceptance Rate

79.6%

Acceptance Rate in 2021

87,152

Accepted Out of 109,512

In 2021, the undergraduate acceptance rate of University of Colorado Boulder was 79.6% (87,152 admissions from 109,512 applications). This is lower than the acceptance rate of 2020, which was 84.2%. Between 2020 and 2021, the number of applicants grew by 23.9%, while admissions grew by 17.1%..

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

32%

Submission Percentage (2021)

4,336

Scores Submitted (2021)

32% of enrolled first-time students at University of Colorado Boulder in 2021 submitted SAT scores with their applications.

This chart shows the SAT scores for the 25th and 75th percentile of applicants broken out into each section of the test that their are evaluated on.

Enrollment

University of Colorado Boulder had a total enrollment of 78,000 students in 2021. The full-time enrollment at University of Colorado Boulder is 62,738 students and the part-time enrollment is 15,262. This means that 80.4% 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 65.4% White, 12.5% Hispanic or Latino, 6.07% Asian, 5.78% Two or More Races, 1.72% Black or African American, 0.205% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0923% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders.

Students enrolled at University of Colorado Boulder in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Male (36.6%), followed by White Female (31.4%) and Hispanic or Latino Male (6.88%). Students enrolled in full-time Graduate programs are most commonly White Male (31%), followed by White Female (29.4%) and Hispanic or Latino Male (4.99%).

Full-Time vs Part-Time Enrollment

80.4%

Full-Time Enrollment

The total enrollment at University of Colorado Boulder in 2021, both undergraduate and graduate, is 78,000 students. The full-time enrollment at University of Colorado Boulder is 62,738 and the part-time enrollment is 15,262. This means that 80.4% of students enrolled at University of Colorado Boulder are enrolled full-time compared with 76.6% 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

87%

2021 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 87%. 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 (2021)

White
51,040 enrolled students
Hispanic or Latino
9,772 enrolled students
Asian
4,734 enrolled students

The enrolled student population at University of Colorado Boulder is 65.4% White, 12.5% Hispanic or Latino, 6.07% Asian, 5.78% Two or More Races, 1.72% Black or African American, 0.205% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.0923% 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 48.9% White, 15.1% Hispanic or Latino, and 9.56% 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, 860 students (1.1%) did not report their race.

Graduates

In 2021, 844 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 (6,382 degrees awarded). There were 5.71 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (1117 degrees).

The most common Bachelor's Degree concentration at University of Colorado Boulder is General Business Administration & Management (1,105 degrees awarded), followed by General Psychology (512 degrees) and Computer Science (475 degrees).

In 2021, 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 (268 degrees awarded), Architecture and Related Services (150 degrees), and Physical Sciences (375 degrees).

Common Jobs by Major

Other managers

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 Other managers (486,246 people), Software developers (444,377 people), Miscellaneous engineers, including nuclear engineers (359,630 people), Civil engineers (270,793 people), and Mechanical engineers (197,129 people).

The most specialized majors at University of Colorado Boulder in 2021 are Natural Resources & Conservation (268 degrees awarded), Architecture and Related Services (150 degrees), Physical Sciences (375 degrees), Engineering (1,359 degrees), and Communications (741 degrees) (as of 2021).

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 Magnetic resonance imaging technologists

The most specialized majors at University of Colorado Boulder are Natural Resources & Conservation (268 degrees awarded), Architecture and Related Services (150 degrees), Physical Sciences (375 degrees), Engineering (1,359 degrees), and Communications (741 degrees) (as of 2021).

Common Industries by Major

Architectural, engineering & related services

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 Architectural, engineering & related services (597,955 people), Computer Systems Design (552,396 people), Colleges, universities & professional schools, including junior colleges (421,178 people), Construction (359,224 people), and Elementary & secondary schools (296,840 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 (2021)

General Business Administration & Management
1,105 degree-majors awarded
General Psychology
512 degree-majors awarded
Computer Science
475 degree-majors awarded

In 2021, the most common bachelors degree concentration at University of Colorado Boulder was General Business Administration & Management with 1,105 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

5,286

Degrees Awarded to Men

in 2021

4,442

Degrees Awarded to Women

in 2021

In 2021, 5,286 degrees were awarded to men at University of Colorado Boulder, which is 1.19 times more than the number of degrees awarded to females (4,442).

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

Most Common Male Majors

In 2021, 820 degrees were awarded to men at University of Colorado Boulder in General Business Administration & Management, which is 1.78 times more than the 461 female recipients with that same degree.

Most Common Female Majors

In 2021, 461 degrees were awarded to men at University of Colorado Boulder in General Business Administration & Management, which is 0.562 times less than the 820 male recipients with that same degree.

Time to Complete

46%

100% Completion Time

69%

150% Completion Time

In 2021, 46% 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, 69% completed their degrees within 150% of the normal time, and 71% 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 (82.6%)

The student demographic with the highest graduation rate in 2021 at University of Colorado Boulder is Female and Asian (82.6% graduation rate). Across all Doctoral Universities, Asian Female students have the highest graduation rate (72.9%).

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, 2.26% of graduates (206 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Share

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity (2021)

White
6,382 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
1,117 degrees awarded
Two or More Races
545 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity at University of Colorado Boulder is white (6,382 degrees awarded). There were 5.71 times more white recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, hispanic or latino (1117 degrees).

1.19% of degree recipients (116 students) did not report their race.

Race & Ethnicity by Sex

Most Common Sex Demographic (2021)

White Male
3,449 degrees awarded
White Female
2,933 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino Female
564 degrees awarded

The most common race/ethnicity and sex grouping at University of Colorado Boulder is white male (3,449 degrees awarded). There were 1.18 times more white male recipients than the next closest race/ethnicity group, white female (2933 degrees).

Operations

University of Colorado Boulder employs 1,034 Professors, 968 Instructors and 750 Associate professors. Most academics at University of Colorado Boulder are Male Professor (744), Female Instructor (498), and Male Instructor (470).

The most common positions for non-instructional staff at University of Colorado Boulder are: Computer, Engineering, and Science, with 2,496 employees, Research, with 1,848 employees, and Management with 1,830 employees.

Government Grants and Contracts

Grants & Contracts

$940M - Federal
$72.2M - State
$5.27M - Local

As of 2021, University of Colorado Boulder received $940M in grants and contracts from the federal government, $72.2M from state grants and contracts, and $5.27M from local grants and contracts.

Salary Expenditure

$769M

2021 Salaries

1.95%

decline from 2020

In 2021, University of Colorado Boulder paid a median of $769M in salaries, a 1.95% decline from the previous year.

The median for similar Doctoral Universities is 234M (42.8% of overall expenditures).

Instructional Salaries

$367M

Instructional Salaries

3,388

Number of Employees

In 2021, University of Colorado Boulder paid a total of $367M to 3,388 employees working as instructors, which represents 23.9% of all salaries paid.

This is compared to a median of $142M (60.6%) for similar Doctoral Universities.

Occupations by Share

Professor

Most Common Instructor

1,034 Employees

Computer, Engineering, and Science

Most Common Non-Instructional Employee

2,496 Employees

In 2021, the most common positions for instructional staff at University of Colorado Boulder were Professor with 1,034 employees, Instructor with 968 employees, and Associate professor with 750 employees.

In 2021, the most common positions for non-instructional staff at University of Colorado Boulder were Computer, Engineering, and Science with 2,496 employees, Research with 1,848 employees, and Management with 1,830 employees.

Instructors by Academic Rank and Sex

Most Common Demographic (2021)

Male Professor
Female Instructor
Male Instructor

In 2021, the most common demographic for instructional staff at University of Colorado Boulder was Male Professor with 744 employees, Female Instructor with 498 employees, and Male Instructor with 470 employees.

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