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IPEDS ID: 126614
OPE ID: 00137000
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University of Colorado Boulder
Regent Drive at Broadway, Boulder, Colorado 80309-0017
General information:  (303) 492-1411
Website:  www.colorado.edu
Type:  4-year, Public
Awards offered:  Bachelor's degree
Postbaccalaureate certificate
Master's degree
Post-master's certificate
Doctor's degree - research/scholarship
Doctor's degree - professional practice
Campus setting:  City: Small
Campus housing:  Yes
Student population:  32,558 (26,530 undergraduate)
Student-to-faculty ratio:  19 to 1
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open-close General Information
Admissionswww.colorado.edu/prospective/
Apply Onlineadmissions.colorado.edu/undergraduate/apply
Financial Aidwww.colorado.edu/finaid/
Net Price Calculatorwww.collegeportraits.org/CO/CU-Boulder/estimator/agree
Mission Statement
  www.colorado.edu/catalog/2012-13/information/intro
Carnegie Classification
Research Universities (very high research activity)
Religious Affiliation
Not applicable
Federal Aid
Eligible students may receive Pell Grants and other federal aid (e.g. Direct Loans).
Undergraduate students enrolled who are formally registered with office of disability services
5%
Special Learning Opportunities
ROTC (Army, Navy, Air Force)
Teacher certification
Distance education opportunities - undergraduate level
Distance education opportunities - graduate level
Study abroad
Student Services
Academic/career counseling service
Employment services for students
Placement services for completers
On-campus day care for students' children
Credit Accepted
Dual credit
Advanced placement (AP) credits
Faculty and graduate assistants by primary function, Fall 2011Full timePart time
Total faculty2,6801,109
Instructional1,344663
Research and public service1,336446
Total graduate assistants-2,468
Instructional-1,299
Research and public service-1,169
open-close Tuition, Fees, and Estimated Student Expenses
Estimated Expenses for Full-time Beginning Undergraduate Students
  • Beginning students are those who are entering postsecondary education for the first time.
Estimated expenses for academic year2009-20102010-20112011-20122012-2013% change 2011-2012 to 2012-2013
Tuition and fees
In-state$7,932$8,511$9,152$9,4823.6%
Out-of-state$28,186$29,493$30,330$31,3783.5%
Books and supplies$1,749$1,748$1,992$1,800-9.6%
Living arrangement
On Campus
Room and board$10,378$10,792$11,278$11,7304.0%
Other$4,698$4,696$4,814$4,8420.6%
Off Campus
Room and board---$8,900 -
Other---$4,842 -
Off Campus with Family
Other---$4,698 -
Total Expenses2009-20102010-20112011-20122012-2013% change 2011-2012 to 2012-2013
In-state
On Campus$24,757$25,747$27,236$27,8542.3%
Off Campus$9,681$10,259$11,144$25,024124.6%
Off Campus with Family$9,681$10,259$11,144$15,98043.4%
Out-of-state
On Campus$45,011$46,729$48,414$49,7502.8%
Off Campus$29,935$31,241$32,322$46,92045.2%
Off Campus with Family$29,935$31,241$32,322$37,87617.2%
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This calculator uses estimated student expenses data to estimate the total tuition and fees charged over the duration of a typical 4-year program at this school.
1. Select starting academic year
2. Select tuition inflation rate
 
 
% (0-100 allowed)
  • This school has a guaranteed tuition plan which may reduce the total estimated tuition and fees over the duration of a program. For further details please contact the institution.
  • The output is only an estimate and not a guarantee of the actual amount the student may be charged; it is not binding on the Secretary, the institution of higher education, or the State; and it may change, subject to the availability of financial assistance, State appropriations, and other factors. The student must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to be eligible for, and receive, an actual financial aid award that includes federal grant, loan, or work-study assistance.
  • The estimated price does not include room and board, books and supplies, &c. (where applicable) and is based on previous years' tuition and fees data. Tuition and fees may vary by program. Please contact this institution for detailed price information.
  • Estimated yearly tuition and fees may not sum to totals because of rounding.
Estimate the total tuition and fee costs over the duration of a typical program.
 Multiyear Tuition Calculator
Average graduate student tuition and fees for academic year2012-2013
In-state tuition$9,738
In-state fees$1,435
Out-of-state tuition$26,208
Out-of-state fees$1,435
  • "Other expenses" include transportation ($1,296), a health insurance allowance ($2,232), and personal ($1,314). These costs, along with tuition, fees, room and board, and estimated books and supplies, are used by the Office of Financial Aid to compute financial need. The tuition reported is for the largest college, Arts and Sciences. Other colleges, including engineering and business, have higher tuition rates.
Alternative Tuition Plans
Type of PlanOffered
Tuition guarantee planX
Prepaid tuition plan
Tuition payment planX
Other alternative tuition plan
  • Currently, the tuition guarantee is for out-of-state undergraduate students only.
open-close Financial Aid
Undergraduate Student Financial Aid, 2010-2011
Full-time Beginning Undergraduate Students
  • Beginning students are those who are entering postsecondary education for the first time.
Type of AidNumber receiving aidPercent receiving aidTotal amount of aid receivedAverage amount of aid received
Any student financial aid12,98558%————
Grant or scholarship aid1,99039%$17,853,130$8,971
Federal grants89917%$5,765,413$6,413
Pell grants84816%$3,537,405$4,171
Other federal grants82216%$2,228,008$2,710
State/local government grant or scholarships75915%$965,568$1,272
Institutional grants or scholarships1,89837%$11,122,149$5,860
Student loan aid1,97938%$13,903,103$7,025
Federal student loans1,93838%$10,154,163$5,240
Other student loans1844%$3,748,940$20,375
  • 1 Includes students receiving Federal work study aid and aid from other sources not listed above.
All Undergraduate Students
Type of AidNumber receiving aidPercent receiving aidTotal amount of aid receivedAverage amount of aid received
Grant or scholarship aid110,66240%$91,611,755$8,592
Pell grants4,69518%$19,480,188$4,149
Federal student loans9,24635%$59,611,699$6,447
  • 1 Grant or scholarship aid includes aid received, from the federal government, state or local government, the institution, and other sources known by the institution.

  • For more information on Student Financial Assistance Programs or to apply for financial aid via the web, visit Federal Student Aid.
open-close Net Price
Average Net Price for Full-Time Beginning Students
Full-time beginning undergraduate students who paid the in-state or in-district tuition rate and were awarded grant or scholarship aid from federal, state or local governments, or the institution.
2008-20092009-20102010-2011
Average net price$17,929$18,054$18,377
Full-time beginning undergraduate students who paid the in-state or in-district tuition rate and were awarded Title IV aid by income.
Average net price by Income2008-20092009-20102010-2011
$0 – $30,000$9,970$11,352$12,181
$30,001 – $48,000$14,547$16,008$15,071
$48,001 – $75,000$19,150$20,055$20,593
$75,001 – $110,000$21,762$22,979$23,994
$110,001 and more$22,658$24,222$25,230
  • Average net price is generated by subtracting the average amount of federal, state/local government, or institutional grant or scholarship aid from the total cost of attendance. Total cost of attendance is the sum of published tuition and required fees (lower of in-district or in-state), books and supplies, and the weighted average for room and board and other expenses.
  • Beginning students are those who are entering postsecondary education for the first time.
  • Title IV aid to students includes grant aid, work study aid, and loan aid. These include: Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG), Academic Competitiveness Grant (ACG), National Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent Grant (National SMART Grant), Teacher Education Assistance for College and Higher Education (TEACH) Grant, Federal Work-Study, Federal Perkins Loan, Subsidized Direct or FFEL Stafford Loan, and Unsubsidized Direct or FFEL Stafford Loan. For those Title IV recipients, net price is reported by income category and includes students who received federal aid even if none of that aid was provided in the form of grants. While Title IV status defines the cohort of student for which the data are reported, the definition of net price remains the same – total cost of attendance minus grant aid.
  • “Other expenses" include transportation ($1,296), a health insurance allowance ($2,232), and personal ($1,286). These costs, along with tuition, fees, and estimated books and supplies, are used by the Office of Financial Aid to compute financial need. The tuition reported is for the largest college, Arts and Sciences. Other colleges, including engineering and business, have higher tuition rates.
Net Price Calculator
An institution’s net price calculator allows current and prospective students, families, and other consumers to estimate the net price of attending that institution for a particular student.
Visit this institution's net price calculator
open-close Enrollment
Fall 2011
Total enrollment32,558
Undergraduate enrollment26,530
Undergraduate transfer-in enrollment1,349
Graduate enrollment6,028
Undergraduate Attendance StatusUndergraduate Student Gender
Undergraduate Attendance Status: Full-time: 91% Part-time: 9%Undergraduate Student Gender: Male: 53% Female: 47%
Undergraduate Race/ethnicity
Undergraduate Race/ethnicity: American Indian or Alaska Native: 1% Asian: 6% Black or African American: 2% Hispanic/Latino: 8% Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islander: 0% White: 76% Two or more races: 2% Race/ethnicity unknown: 3% Non-resident alien: 2%
Undergraduate Student AgeUndergraduate Student Residence
Undergraduate Student Age: 24 and under: 93% 25 and over: 7% Age unknown: 0%Undergraduate Student Residence: In-state: 58% Out-of-state: 40% Foreign countries: 2% Unknown: 0%
  • Residence data are reported for first-time degree/certificate-seeking undergraduates, Fall 2010.
Graduate Attendance Status
Graduate Attendance Status: Full-time: 43% Part-time: 57%
open-close Admissions
Undergraduate application fee (2012-2013): $50
Undergraduate Admissions Fall 2012
TotalMaleFemale
Number of applicants21,74411,46510,279
Percent admitted84%81%87%
Percent admitted who enrolled30%32%28%
Admissions ConsiderationsRequiredRecommended
Secondary school GPAX
Secondary school rankX
Secondary school recordX
Completion of college-preparatory programX
RecommendationsX
Admission test scores (SAT/ACT)X
TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign language)X
Test Scores: Fall 2012 (enrolled first-time students)
Students submitting scoresNumberPercent
SAT2,55147%
ACT4,27078%
Test Scores25th Percentile*75th Percentile**
NOTES:
*  25% of students scored at or below
** 25% of students scored above
  • Data apply to first-time degree/certificate-seeking students.
  • Institutions are asked to report test scores only if they are required for admission.
SAT Critical Reading530630
SAT Math540650
ACT Composite2328
ACT English2329
ACT Math2429
open-close Retention and Graduation Rates
First-to-Second Year Retention Rates

Retention rates measure the percentage of first-time students who are seeking bachelor's degrees who return to the institution to continue their studies the following fall.

Retention Rates for First-Time Students Pursuing Bachelor's Degrees
Student retention: Full-time students: 84% Part-time students: 49%
Percentage of Students Who Began Their Studies in Fall 2010 and Returned in Fall 2011
Overall Graduation Rate and Transfer-Out Rate

The overall graduation rate is also known as the "Student Right to Know" or IPEDS graduation rate. It tracks the progress of students who began their studies as full-time, first-time degree- or certificate-seeking students to see if they complete a degree or other award such as a certificate within 150% of "normal time" for completing the program in which they are enrolled.

Some institutions also report a transfer-out rate, which is the percentage of the full-time, first-time students who transferred to another institution.

Note that not all students at the institution are tracked for these rates. Students who have already attended another postsecondary institution, or who began their studies on a part-time basis, are not tracked for this rate. At this institution, 78 percent of entering students were counted as "full-time, first-time" in 2011.

Overall Graduation and Transfer-Out Rates for Students Who Began Their Studies in Fall 2005
Overall graduation rate: Overall graduation rate: 68% Transfer-out rate: 17%
Percentage of Full-time, First-Time Students Who Graduated or Transferred Out Within 150% of "Normal Time" to Completion for Their Program
Bachelor's Degree Graduation Rates

Bachelor’s degree graduation rates measure the percentage of entering students beginning their studies full-time and are planning to get a bachelor’s degree and who complete their degree program within a specified amount of time.

Graduation Rates for Students Pursuing Bachelor's Degrees
Bachelor's degree rate: 4-year: 41% 6-year: 67% 8-year: 70%
Percentage of Full-time, First-time Students Who Graduated in the Specified Amount of Time
6-Year Graduation Rate by Gender for Students Pursuing Bachelor's Degrees
6-Year Graduation Rate by Gender for Students Pursuing Bachelor's Degrees: Male: 66% Female: 70%
Percentage of Full-time, First-time Students Who Began Their Studies in Fall 2005 and Received a Degree or Award Within 150% of "Normal Time" to Completion for Their Program
6-Year Graduation Rate by Race/Ethnicity for Students Pursuing Bachelor's Degrees
6-Year Graduation Rate by Race/Ethnicity for Students Pursuing Bachelor's Degrees: American Indian or Alaska Native: 56% Asian: 64% Black or African American: 47% Hispanic/Latino: 60% White: 70% Race/ethnicity unknown: 68% Non-resident alien: 67%
Percentage of Full-time, First-time Students Who Began Their Studies in Fall 2005 and Received a Degree or Award Within 150% of "Normal Time" to Completion for Their Program
open-close Programs/Majors
Completions (Number of awards conferred) 2011-2012
Completions are the number of awards conferred by program and award level.
sort byProgramBachelorMasterDoctor
  • Data shown are for first majors.
  • (-) Program is not offered at this award level.
  • d identifies programs and award levels that are offered as a distance education program. For program category totals, d is shown if one or more programs in the category are offered as a distance education program.
Architecture and Related Services
Environmental Design/Architecture216--
Category total216--
Area, Ethnic, Cultural, Gender and Group Studies
Asian Studies/Civilization5--
Ethnic Studies30--
Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies, Other1--
Russian Studies8--
Women's Studies14--
Category total58--
Biological And Biomedical Sciences
Biochemistry59-11
Cell/Cellular and Molecular Biology149210
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology13648
Neuroscience--0
Physiology, General311147
Category total6552036
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services
Business Administration and Management, General7332286
Category total7332286
Communication, Journalism, and Related Programs
Journalism26520-
Speech Communication and Rhetoric223616
Category total4882616
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services
Computer Science47464
Category total47464
Education
Curriculum and Instruction-491
Educational Evaluation and Research--1
Music Teacher Education196-
Social and Philosophical Foundations of Education-836
Category total191388
Engineering
Aerospace, Aeronautical and Astronautical/Space Engineering6574d14
Architectural Engineering58--
Biochemical Engineering50--
Chemical Engineering521517
Civil Engineering, General769718
Computer Engineering, General45--
Electrical and Electronics Engineering3992d21
Engineering Physics/Applied Physics20--
Engineering, General-57d-
Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering28--
Mechanical Engineering1266410
Telecommunications Engineering-53d-
Category total559452d80
English Language and Literature/Letters
Creative Writing-7-
English Language and Literature, General251251
Category total251321
Foreign Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics
Chinese Language and Literature18--
Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General6131
Comparative Literature-32
East Asian Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General-7-
French Language and Literature832
Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General74-
Italian Language and Literature8--
Japanese Language and Literature12--
Linguistics24193
Spanish Language and Literature87154
Category total1706412
Health Professions and Related Programs
Audiology/Audiologist--4
Communication Sciences and Disorders, General56342
Category total56346
History
History, General12363
Category total12363
Legal Professions and Studies
Advanced Legal Research/Studies, General-9-
Law--177
Category total-9177
Liberal Arts and Sciences, General Studies and Humanities
Humanities/Humanistic Studies53--
Category total53--
Mathematics and Statistics
Applied Mathematics, General30216
Mathematics, General61139
Category total913415
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
Cognitive Science--0
International/Global Studies216--
Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, Other53-
Museology/Museum Studies-7-
Science, Technology and Society--2
Category total221102
Natural Resources and Conservation
Environmental Studies181184
Category total181184
Philosophy and Religious Studies
Philosophy3765
Religion/Religious Studies1111-
Category total48175
Physical Sciences
Astronomy23--
Astrophysics-66
Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology, General-712
Chemical Physics--3
Chemistry, General27716
Geology/Earth Science, General51134
Geophysics and Seismology--1
Physics, General403429
Category total1416771
Psychology
Educational Psychology-33
Psychology, General546189
Category total5462112
Social Sciences
Anthropology10876
Economics, General2631511
Geography6899
Political Science and Government, General23498
Sociology195410
Category total8684444
Visual and Performing Arts
Art History, Criticism and Conservation525-
Dance, General135-
Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General2454
Film/Cinema/Video Studies106--
Fine/Studio Arts, General10511-
Music History, Literature, and Theory--5
Music Performance, General324114
Music, General9--
Category total3416723
Grand total5,8651,333525
open-close Varsity Athletic Teams
2011-2012 Varsity Athletes
NCAA Division I-A MenWomen
All Track Combined104111
Basketball1413
Football114–
Golf1111
Skiing1213
Soccer–22
Tennis–8
Volleyball–18
open-close Accreditation
Institutional Accreditation
AgencyPeriods of AccreditationStatus
North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, The Higher Learning Commission (!)1/1/1913 -  Accredited
Specialized Accreditation
Agency / ProgramPeriods of AccreditationStatus
American Bar Association, Council of the Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar
Law (LAW) - Professional schools(!)7/1/1923 -  Accredited
American Psychological Association, Committee on Accreditation
Clinical Psychology (CLPSY) - PhD Doctoral programs1/12/1949 -  Accredited
American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology
Speech-Language Pathology (SP) - Graduate degree programs7/29/1969 -  Accredited
Audiology (AUD) - Graduate degree programs12/28/1971 - 10/1/2004Resigned
Clinical doctoral program in Audiology10/1/2004 -  Accredited
Commission on English Language Program Accreditation
English Language12/1/2000 -  Accredited
National Association of Schools of Music, Commission on Accreditation, Commission on Community/Junior College Accreditation
Music (MUS) - Institutions and units within institutions offering degree-granting and/or non-degree-granting programs(!)9/1/1941 -  Accredited
National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education
Teacher Education (TED) - Baccalaureate and graduate programs for the preparation of teachers and other professional personnel for elementary and secondary schools1/1/1971 -  Accredited
  • (!) Estimated date
open-close Campus Security
2011 Crime Statistics
Arrests - On-Campus200920102011
Illegal weapons possession303
Drug law violations137351442
Liquor law violations692710767
Arrests - On-Campus Residence Halls !200920102011
Illegal weapons possession101
Drug law violations89269303
Liquor law violations206421425
Criminal Offenses - On-Campus200920102011
Murder/Non-negligent manslaughter000
Negligent manslaughter000
Sex offenses - Forcible946
Sex offenses - Non-forcible (incest and statutory rape only)000
Robbery225
Aggravated assault528
Burglary602742
Motor vehicle theft1510
Arson241
Criminal Offenses - On-Campus Residence Halls !200920102011
Murder/Non-negligent manslaughter000
Negligent manslaughter000
Sex offenses - Forcible625
Sex offenses - Non-forcible (incest and statutory rape only)000
Robbery000
Aggravated assault314
Burglary141512
Motor vehicle theft000
Arson111
  • (!) Residence Halls are a subset of On-Campus statistics
  • The crime data reported by the institutions have not been subjected to independent verification by the U.S. Department of Education. Therefore, the Department cannot vouch for the accuracy of the data reported here.
  • These data do not include incidents that: (a) took place off campus on public property immediately adjacent to and accessible from the Campus; (b) took place on a noncampus building or property owned or controlled by a student organization that is officially recognized by the institution; or (c) incidents at buildings/property owned or controlled by an institution but is not contiguous to the institution. For further information, see http://ope.ed.gov/security.
open-close Cohort Default Rates
Three-year Official Cohort Default Rates
Fiscal Year2009
Default rate3.6%
Number in default150
Number in repayment4,158
Aid Programs
  • Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan)
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National Center for Education Statistics - http://nces.ed.gov
U.S. Department of Education
U.S. Department of Education
Institute of Education Sciences
National Center for Education Statistics
International Year of Statistics 2013 (Statistics2013)
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