U of O vs CU-Boulder

Nestled in the heart of Eugene, Oregon, and Boulder, Colorado, respectively, the University of Oregon (UO) and the University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder) stand as two prominent institutions of higher learning, each offering a unique blend of academic excellence, vibrant student life, and stunning natural surroundings. While both universities share a commitment to providing a top-notch education, they differ in several key aspects, including acceptance rates, popular majors, student body demographics, and graduation rates. Explore our comprehensive comparison table to discover the nuances that set these two esteemed universities apart and make an informed decision about your academic journey.
University of Colorado Boulder logo

University of Colorado Boulder

University of Oregon logo

University of Oregon

Overview

Location Boulder, Colorado Eugene, Oregon
Campus setting City: Midsize City: Midsize
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Public Public
Calendar system Semester Quarter
Degrees offered Undergraduate and Graduate Undergraduate and Graduate
Students retention rate 87.0% 87.0%
Common app member Yes Yes
Religious affiliation

Admission

Acceptance rate 79.6% 93.4%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $50

Graduate: $60
Undergraduate: $65

Graduate: $70
SAT range 1170 - 1390 N/A
ACT range 25 - 31 N/A
Students submitting SAT score 32.0%
Students submitting ACT score 16.0%
Total number of applicants 54,756 31,558
Total number of admissions given out 43,576 29,483
Admitted students who chose to enroll 6,785 4,589
Yield rate 15.6% 15.6%
Test scores (SAT/ACT) N/A N/A
High school GPA Required Required
Recommendation letters Not required Not required
High school transcript Not required Not required
English proficiency test (e.g. TOEFL) Required Not required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price
In state: $29,725

Out of state: $55,543
In state: $28,404

Out of state: $54,447
Average net price $22,532 $18,556
Tuition
In state: $10,728

Out of state: $36,546
In state: $11,974

Out of state: $38,017
Room & board $15,220 $13,509
Available payment plans
  • Guaranteed tuition plan
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Guaranteed tuition plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

53.0%
Average amount $9,214
63.0%
Average amount $13,590
Students receiving federal student loan 27.0%
Average amount $4,986
32.0%
Average amount $5,093
Students taking out private loans 6.0%
Average amount $24,094
4.0%
Average amount $28,121

Students and Campus

Undergraduate students 30,886
Men 54.8% Women 45.2%
18,602
Men 44.5% Women 55.5%
Graduate students 8,114
Men 57.8% Women 42.2%
3,655
Men 45.4% Women 54.6%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Low
Out-of-state students 48.8% 54.8%
International students 7.1% 4.8%
Campus local/setting City: Midsize City: Midsize
Dormitory capacity 7,500 5,523
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 New York Oregon California Washington Colorado Texas

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Business
  • Engineering
  • Communication and Journalism
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Legal Profession
  • Education
  • Business
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Social Sciences
  • Architecture
Students to faculty ratio 18:1 20:1
Institutional accreditation Higher Learning Commission Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities

Outcome

Graduation rate 74.0% 74.4%
Dropout rate 8.6% 8.7%
Transferred out 15.9% 16.4%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
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
Educational Administration and Supervision (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $89,230
  • Year 3: $95,616
Physics (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $77,844
  • Year 2: $75,832
  • Year 3: $90,800
Chemistry (Doctoral Degrees)
  • Year 1: $61,666
  • Year 2: $83,177
  • Year 3: $90,002
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $68,849
  • Year 2: $86,621
  • Year 3: $87,239
Chemistry (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $67,269
  • Year 2: $72,231
  • Year 3: $82,154
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $49,287
  • Year 2: $61,681
  • Year 3: $80,277
Accounting and Related Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $54,279
  • Year 2: $59,425
  • Year 3: $68,549
Law (First Professional Degrees)
  • Year 1: $57,062
  • Year 2: $56,840
  • Year 3: $67,900
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $55,838
  • Year 2: $62,012
  • Year 3: $67,123
Accounting and Related Services (Bachelor's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $53,818
  • Year 2: $55,464
  • Year 3: $66,741

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