CU Boulder acceptance rate, cost and outcomes
University of Colorado Boulder · Public · Boulder, CO · 32,105 undergraduates (IPEDS fall 2023)
CU Boulder admitted 83.3% of applicants for fall 2023, down from 87.7% in 2013. Colorado residents pay $17,513 in tuition and fees for 2025-26; out-of-state students pay $47,142.
Admit rate, 2013 to 2023
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| Fall | Admit rate | Applicants | Admitted |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 87.7% | 22,473 | 19,710 |
| 2014 | 84.2% | 28,852 | 24,282 |
| 2015 | 79.6% | 31,325 | 24,941 |
| 2016 | 76.6% | 34,047 | 26,087 |
| 2017 | 79.8% | 36,148 | 28,861 |
| 2018 | 81.5% | 36,604 | 29,848 |
| 2019 | 78.4% | 40,677 | 31,872 |
| 2020 | 84.2% | 44,203 | 37,221 |
| 2021 | 79.6% | 54,756 | 43,576 |
| 2022 | 80.7% | 53,781 | 43,416 |
| 2023 | 83.3% | 56,069 | 46,692 |
Applications went from 22,473 in fall 2013 to 56,069 in fall 2023. Admit rate = admitted ÷ applicants. Source: IPEDS fall admissions.1
What families actually pay
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| Family income | Net price / year, 2024-25 |
|---|---|
| $0 to $30,000 | $13,403 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 | $13,558 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $16,684 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $21,719 |
| Over $110,000 | $34,026 |
| Tuition and fees, in-state (2025-26) | $17,513 |
| Tuition and fees, out-of-state (2025-26) | $47,142 |
| Cost of attendance (2024-25) | $37,189 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid (2024-25) | $23,708 |
Net price is the cost of attendance minus grants, for first-time full-time students with federal aid paying the in-state rate, 2024-25. Tuition is 2025-26. Source: College Scorecard.2
SAT and ACT
Middle 50% (25th to 75th percentile) of enrolled first-year students who submitted scores: 20% submitted the SAT, 8% the ACT. Source: IPEDS fall 2023.1
Similar public colleges
| College | Admit rate | Tuition and fees |
|---|---|---|
| CU Denver CO | 77.8% | $10,835 in-state |
| Colorado State CO | 89.6% | $13,774 in-state |
| UMass Boston MA | 83.0% | $16,558 in-state |
Same state and type first, then the nearest admit rate. Fall 2023 and 2025-26 figures.
What the numbers say
The fall 2023 class at CU Boulder came from 56,069 applications, and the resulting admit rate was 83.3%.1 Its 2013 rate was 87.7%, which leaves the change at a decrease of 4.4 percentage points.1 Across the 10 yearly comparisons the rate declined in 5.1 Applications grew 149% and admitted students grew 137%, rising from 19,710 to 46,692.1
Test scores are optional. Among fall 2023 entrants who sent them, the middle 50% ranged from 610 to 720 on SAT math and 28 to 33 on the ACT.1
Colorado residents pay $17,513 in tuition and fees for 2025-26, while students from elsewhere pay $47,142.2 The resident price is above the $10,835 median of the 13 public bachelor's colleges in Colorado.2 Average net price for 2024-25 was $13,403 for families earning $0 to $30,000 and $16,684 for those at $48,001 to $75,000.2 It reached $34,026 for families earning over $110,000.2
A 74% graduation rate within 6 years for the 2019 entering group compares with a 48% median across 20 Colorado bachelor's colleges.2 Graduates earned a median of $77,574 10 years after entry, and median federal loan debt was $18,500.2
Every number on this page, with its source field
| Figure | Value | File, field, year |
|---|---|---|
| Applicants | 56,069 | IPEDS ADM2023, APPLCN, fall 20231 |
| Admitted | 46,692 | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMSSN, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled first-years | 7,546 | IPEDS ADM2023, ENRLT, fall 20231 |
| Undergraduates | 32,105 | IPEDS DRVEF2023, EFUG, fall 20234 |
| Admission policy | Selective (not open admission) | IPEDS IC2023, OPENADMP, 2023-243 |
| Test policy | Test-optional | IPEDS ADM2023, ADMCON7, fall 20231 |
| SAT reading/writing, 25th percentile | 620 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATVR25, fall 20231 |
| SAT reading/writing, 75th percentile | 700 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATVR75, fall 20231 |
| SAT math, 25th percentile | 610 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATMT25, fall 20231 |
| SAT math, 75th percentile | 720 | IPEDS ADM2023, SATMT75, fall 20231 |
| ACT composite, 25th percentile | 28 | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTCM25, fall 20231 |
| ACT composite, 75th percentile | 33 | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTCM75, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled students submitting SAT | 20% | IPEDS ADM2023, SATPCT, fall 20231 |
| Enrolled students submitting ACT | 8% | IPEDS ADM2023, ACTPCT, fall 20231 |
| Tuition and fees, in-state | $17,513 | College Scorecard, TUITIONFEE_IN, 2025-262 |
| Tuition and fees, out-of-state | $47,142 | College Scorecard, TUITIONFEE_OUT, 2025-262 |
| Cost of attendance | $37,189 | College Scorecard, COSTT4_A, 2024-252 |
| Average net price, students with federal aid | $23,708 | College Scorecard, NPT4_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $0 to $30,000 | $13,403 | College Scorecard, NPT41_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $30,001 to $48,000 | $13,558 | College Scorecard, NPT42_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $48,001 to $75,000 | $16,684 | College Scorecard, NPT43_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income $75,001 to $110,000 | $21,719 | College Scorecard, NPT44_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Net price, income over $110,000 | $34,026 | College Scorecard, NPT45_PUB, 2024-252 |
| Graduation rate within 6 years | 74% | College Scorecard, C150_4, 2019 entrants2 |
| First-year retention | 90% | College Scorecard, RET_FT4, fall 2023 entrants2 |
| Undergraduates with a Pell grant | 17% | College Scorecard, PCTPELL, 2024-252 |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $77,574 | College Scorecard, MD_EARN_WNE_P10, 2022-232 |
| Median federal debt of graduates | $18,500 | College Scorecard, GRAD_DEBT_MDN, FY2024-252 |
| Median in-state tuition and fees, public colleges, Colorado (N = 13) | $10,835 | College Scorecard, median TUITIONFEE_IN, public bachelor's institutions, 2025-262 |
| Median graduation rate within 6 years, Colorado (N = 20) | 48% | College Scorecard, median C150_4, bachelor's institutions, 2019 entrants2 |
Sources
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS admissions files, fall 2013 to fall 2023 (IC2013, ADM2014, ADM2015, ADM2016, ADM2017, ADM2018, ADM2019, ADM2020, ADM2021, ADM2022, ADM2023). Checked 26 Oct 2026.
- U.S. Department of Education: College Scorecard, Most Recent Institution-Level Data (Most-Recent-Cohorts-Institution (release of 15 Oct 2026)). Data years: 2019 entrants, 2022-23, 2024-25, 2025-26, FY2024-25, fall 2023 entrants. Checked 25 Oct 2026.
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS Institutional Characteristics 2023-24 (IC2023.zip). Data years: 2023-24. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
- National Center for Education Statistics (NCES): IPEDS Fall Enrollment, derived variables, fall 2023 (DRVEF2023.zip). Data years: 2023. Checked 26 Oct 2026.
AdmitFacts is not affiliated with CU Boulder, the U.S. Department of Education or NCES. Missing values are shown as Not reported, never estimated. The file field behind each figure is listed under "Every number on this page". How we build each page