CU-Boulder vs CSU-FC

Nestled in the heart of the Rocky Mountains, University of Colorado Boulder and Colorado State University-Fort Collins stand as two prominent beacons of higher education. While both institutions share a commitment to academic excellence and a vibrant college town atmosphere, they also possess distinct characteristics that cater to different student preferences. With University of Colorado Boulder boasting a lower acceptance rate and a higher graduation rate, it attracts students seeking a rigorous academic environment. Colorado State University-Fort Collins, on the other hand, offers a more diverse student body and a wider range of undergraduate programs, making it a popular choice for students with varied interests. Explore our comprehensive comparison table to delve into further details and discover which university aligns best with your academic aspirations and personal preferences.

	Colorado State University-Fort Collins	University of Colorado Boulder
Overview
Location	Fort Collins, Colorado	Boulder, Colorado
Campus setting	City: Midsize	City: Midsize
College type	4 year	4 year
Control/business model	Public	Public
Calendar system	Semester	Semester
Degrees offered	Undergraduate and Graduate	Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate	86.0%	87.0%
Common app member	Yes	Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission
Acceptance rate	89.6%	79.6%
Application fees	Undergraduate: $50 Graduate: $60	Undergraduate: $50 Graduate: $60
SAT range	1080 - 1290	1170 - 1390
ACT range	23 - 29	25 - 31
Students submitting SAT score	38.0%	32.0%
Students submitting ACT score	17.0%	16.0%
Total number of applicants	31,586	54,756
Total number of admissions given out	28,314	43,576
Admitted students who chose to enroll	5,197	6,785
Yield rate	18.4%	15.6%
Test scores (SAT/ACT)	N/A	N/A
High school GPA	Required	Required
Recommendation letters	Required	Not required
High school transcript	Not required	Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL)	Required	Required

Tuition and Fees
Sticker price	In state: $27,174 Out of state: $46,456	In state: $29,725 Out of state: $55,543
Average net price	$18,320	$22,532
Tuition	In state: $9,709 Out of state: $28,991	In state: $10,728 Out of state: $36,546
Room & board	Room/dormitory: $6,186 Meal plan: $6,830	$15,220
Available payment plans	Tuition payment plan	Guaranteed tuition plan Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid
Students receiving financial aid (Grants & scholarships)	70.0% Average amount $10,034	53.0% Average amount $9,214
Students receiving federal student loan	36.0% Average amount $5,018	27.0% Average amount $4,986
Students taking out private loans	7.0% Average amount $19,976	6.0% Average amount $24,094

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students	24,954 Men 45.6% Women 54.4%	30,886 Men 54.8% Women 45.2%
Graduate students	7,632 Men 43.7% Women 56.3%	8,114 Men 57.8% Women 42.2%
Racial/ethnic diversity	Low	Low
Out-of-state students	34.3%	48.8%
International students	4.8%	7.1%
Campus local/setting	City: Midsize	City: Midsize
Dormitory capacity	8,300	7,500
First year students are required to live on campus?	No	No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from	Colorado California Texas Illinois Washington	Colorado California Texas Illinois New York

Academics
Popular study areas	Business Engineering Biological and Biomedical Sciences Agriculture Kinesiology & Leisure Studies	Business Engineering Communication and Journalism Visual & Performing Arts Legal Profession
Students to faculty ratio	17:1	18:1
Institutional accreditation	Higher Learning Commission	Higher Learning Commission

Outcome
Graduation rate	69.1%	74.0%
Dropout rate	18.5%	8.6%
Transferred out	10.4%	15.9%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)	Business/Commerce, General (Master's Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $94,915 Year 3: $106,015 Engineering, General (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $82,613 Year 2: $76,460 Year 3: $95,296 Computer Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $74,379 Year 2: $75,706 Year 3: $93,827 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $98,747 Year 2: $80,301 Year 3: $92,215 Chemistry (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: $73,256 Year 2: $63,005 Year 3: $89,957 Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $72,253 Year 2: $73,070 Year 3: $88,889 Veterinary Medicine (First Professional Degrees) Year 1: $77,603 Year 2: N/A Year 3: $88,546 Information Science/Studies (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $76,387 Year 2: $83,546 Year 3: $86,814 Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $68,629 Year 2: $71,778 Year 3: $83,089 Biomedical/Medical Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $55,849 Year 2: $67,101 Year 3: $80,723	Engineering, General (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $105,752 Year 2: $116,679 Year 3: $121,033 Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: N/A Year 2: $97,071 Year 3: $118,373 Computer Science (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $93,907 Year 2: $94,408 Year 3: $108,458 Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $85,254 Year 2: $89,641 Year 3: $97,860 Mechanical Engineering (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $76,200 Year 2: $75,706 Year 3: $92,272 Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees) Year 1: $87,191 Year 2: $80,503 Year 3: $87,258 Computer Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $74,023 Year 2: $75,204 Year 3: $86,676 Computer Science (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $69,804 Year 2: $75,921 Year 3: $85,563 Communication Disorders Sciences and Services (Doctoral Degrees) Year 1: $75,633 Year 2: $83,177 Year 3: $85,039 Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's Degrees) Year 1: $68,440 Year 2: $71,957 Year 3: $83,132

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