Getting in
For Fall 2025, 73,180 first-year students applied to CU Boulder, 51,716 were admitted and 7,397 enrolled: an acceptance rate of 70.7%.
Source: CU Boulder Common Data Set 2025-2026 (opens in a new tab), section C1. Read Oct 1, 2026.
By residency, first-year applicants, Fall 2025
| Applicants | Applied | Admitted | Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| In-state | 18,030 | 14,650 | 81.3% |
| Out-of-state | 54,968 | 37,065 | 67.4% |
| International | 3,121 | 2,378 | 76.2% |
| Unknown | 182 | 1 | 0.5% |
Source: CU Boulder Common Data Set 2025-2026 (opens in a new tab), section C1, residency table. Read Oct 1, 2026.
By school or major. CU Boulder's Common Data Set reports one first-year acceptance rate for the whole university, with no rate by college or major.
Source: CU Boulder Common Data Set 2025-2026 (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
Early action. CU Boulder has no early decision plan. Its Early Action is not binding and not restrictive, and the Common Data Set does not report how many applied or were admitted early, so it gives no early acceptance rate.
Source: CU Boulder Common Data Set 2025-2026 (opens in a new tab), sections C21 and C22. Read Oct 1, 2026.
Programs with extra requirements
For students applying in fall 2026, entering fall 2027
You apply with the Common Application and are reviewed with your intended major in mind. One college asks for more:
- College of Music. After you submit the admission application, you also complete a College of Music application, send a letter of reference and schedule an audition. You get no admission decision until after you audition.
Source: CU Boulder Admissions, First-Year Applicants: Apply for Admission (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
Unless you apply to the College of Music, CU Boulder does not accept or use portfolios or audio and video submissions.
Source: CU Boulder Admissions, First-Year Applicants: Plan Your Application (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
Majors
89 majors across 6 schools. Every bachelor's degree major in CU Boulder's 2026-2027 University Catalog, grouped by the college or school that offers it, with the degree it leads to. Minors, certificates and graduate programs are left out.
Arts & Sciences54
- Anthropology (BA)
- Statistics and Data Science (BA)
- Statistics and Data Science (BS)
- Art History (BA)
- Art Practices (BA)
- Art Practices (BFA)
- Chinese (BA)
- Japanese (BA)
- Asian Studies (BA)
- Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences (BA)
- Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences (BS)
- Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences (BS)
- Biochemistry (BS)
- Chemistry (BS)
- Cinema Studies & Moving Image Arts (BFA)
- Cinema Studies (BA)
- Classics (BA)
- Earth Science (BS)
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology (BA)
- Economics (BA)
- English (BA)
- Environmental Studies (BA)
- Ethnic Studies (BA)
- French (BA)
- Italian (BA)
- Geography (BA)
- Geography (BS)
- German Studies (BA)
- Russian Studies (BA)
- History (BA)
- Humanities (BA)
- Integrative Physiology (BS)
- International Affairs (BA)
- Jewish Studies (BA)
- Linguistics (BA)
- Mathematics (BA)
- Mathematics (BS)
- Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology (BS)
- Philosophy (BA)
- Physics (BA)
- Physics (BS)
- Political Science (BA)
- Neuroscience (BS)
- Psychology (BA)
- Public Health (BA)
- Religious Studies (BA)
- Sociology (BA)
- Spanish (BA)
- Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences (BA)
- Dance (BA)
- Dance (BFA)
- Theatre (BA)
- Theatre (BFA)
- Women and Gender Studies (BA)
Source: CU Boulder 2026-2027 University Catalog, Arts & Sciences (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
Business2
- Business Administration (BSBA)
- Integrated Business and Engineering (BS)
Source: CU Boulder 2026-2027 University Catalog, Business (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
Communication, Media, Design & Information10
- Strategic Communication (BS)
- Communication (BA)
- Media Production (BA)
- Architecture (BEV)
- Environmental Products of Design (BEV)
- Landscape Architecture (BEV)
- Sustainable Planning and Urban Design (BEV)
- Information Science (BS)
- Journalism (BA)
- Media Studies (BA)
Source: CU Boulder 2026-2027 University Catalog, Communication, Media, Design & Information (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
Education4
- Education Studies (BA)
- Elementary Education (BA)
- Leadership and Community Engagement (BA)
- Middle and High School Teaching (BA)
Source: CU Boulder 2026-2027 University Catalog, Education (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
Engineering & Applied Science16
- Aerospace Engineering Sciences (BSAE)
- Applied Mathematics (BSAM)
- Biomedical Engineering (BSBM)
- Biological Engineering (BSBE)
- Chemical Engineering (BSCHE)
- Architectural Engineering (BSARE)
- Civil Engineering (BSCV)
- Environmental Engineering (BSEV)
- Computer Science (BA)
- Computer Science (BSCS)
- Creative Technology and Design (BSCTD)
- Electrical and Computer Engineering (BSEC)
- Electrical Engineering (BSEE)
- Engineering Physics (BSEP)
- Integrated Design Engineering (BSIDE)
- Mechanical Engineering (BSME)
Source: CU Boulder 2026-2027 University Catalog, Engineering & Applied Science (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
Music3
- Music (BAMus)Extra requirement: Needs a separate College of Music application and an audition.
- Music (BMus)Extra requirement: Needs a separate College of Music application and an audition.
- Music Education (BMUE)Extra requirement: Needs a separate College of Music application and an audition.
Source: CU Boulder 2026-2027 University Catalog, Music (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
Source: CU Boulder Admissions, First-Year Applicants: Apply for Admission (opens in a new tab), for the extra requirements. Read Oct 1, 2026.
Deadlines for Fall 2027
For students applying in fall 2026, entering fall 2027
| Plan | Apply by | Decision | Binding |
|---|---|---|---|
| Early Action | November 15 | By February 1 | No |
| Regular Decision | January 15 | By April 1 | No |
Decision dates apply to applications submitted and completed by each deadline; College of Music applicants hear only after their audition. The application fee is $65 for domestic applicants and $70 for international applicants, and fee waivers can be requested on the Common Application.
Source: CU Boulder Admissions, First-Year Applicants: Apply for Admission (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
Testing
For students applying in fall 2026, entering fall 2027
CU Boulder does not require the SAT or ACT for the 2027 first-year application. You say on the Common App whether you plan to submit scores; if you want them considered, report them in your application or have the testing agency send them by your application deadline so your application is not counted late.
Source: CU Boulder Admissions, First-Year Applicants: Plan Your Application (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
The Common Data Set also marks the SAT or ACT as not required but considered if submitted for fall 2027 applicants, with scores due by January 15.
Source: CU Boulder Common Data Set 2025-2026 (opens in a new tab), section C8. Read Oct 1, 2026.
Applying next year?
For students applying in fall 2027, entering fall 2028
Not announced yet. When we checked CU Boulder's admission pages on October 1, 2026, we found no announced changes for fall 2028 entry. The deadlines and rules above are for fall 2027 entry.
Source: CU Boulder Admissions, First-Year Applicants: Apply for Admission (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
Cost, and what families paid after aid
The published cost of a year at CU Boulder, 2026-2027:
| Item | In-state | Out-of-state |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition | $13,974 | $45,018 |
| Required fees | $1,040 | $1,040 |
| Food and housing (on campus) | $19,242 | $19,242 |
| Books and supplies | $1,200 | $1,200 |
| Transportation | $1,314 | $1,314 |
| Other expenses | $1,782 | $1,782 |
| Total | $38,552 | $69,596 |
First-year rates for a full-time undergraduate living on campus; CU's four-year tuition guarantee holds tuition at the entry rate. Tuition and fees vary by program, and CU says 75% of full-time undergraduates pay more than these figures.
Source: CU Boulder Common Data Set 2025-2026 (opens in a new tab), sections G1, G4 and G5. Read Oct 1, 2026.
Average net price per year, by family income, 2023-24:
| Family income | Paid after grants |
|---|---|
| $0 to $30,000 | $14,231 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 | $14,381 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 | $18,828 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 | $26,915 |
| Over $110,000 | $34,818 |
| All incomes | $25,346 |
What first-year, full-time, in-state students who received federal aid paid after grants and scholarships, by family income, in 2023-24, the latest year the Department of Education publishes. Your own price comes from CU Boulder's aid offer.
Source: College Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education (opens in a new tab). Read Oct 1, 2026.
Similar schools
Chosen for how close each is to University of Colorado Boulder on acceptance rate, public or private, location and majors offered.
University of IdahoMoscow, ID · Public75.5% admitted$14,831 average net price
University of New MexicoAlbuquerque, NM · Public80% admitted$15,489 average net price
Colorado State UniversityFort Collins, CO · Public88.6% admitted$21,279 average net price
University of Nevada, Las VegasLas Vegas, NV · Public83.9% admitted$10,359 average net price
The University of AlabamaTuscaloosa, AL · Public71.2% admitted$22,420 average net price
Admitted: each school's latest first-year acceptance rate, so the year can differ from school to school; each school's page names its year and source. Average net price: what federal aid recipients paid per year after grants, 2023-24, and the in-state figure for a public university.