Colorado School of Mines vs. University of Colorado Boulder
A side-by-side comparison of Colorado Mines and CU Boulder — acceptance rates (58% vs. 75.9%), SAT scores (1340–1460 vs. 1180–1390), tuition, financial aid, and majors, drawn from each school's official Common Data Set.
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Acceptance Rate
Total applicants, admitted students, and enrolled students for the most recent admission cycle.
Early Decision
Colorado Mines offers binding Early Decision. Applying early can meaningfully change your odds — but ED commits you to enroll if admitted.
Standardized Tests
Colorado Mines is currently test-optional — you may apply without submitting scores.
SAT Accepted?
ACT Accepted?
Test Optional?
SAT Scores
ACT Scores
Class Rank
Where Colorado Mines's enrolled first-years placed in their high school graduating class.
Based on the 43% of enrolled students who reported a class rank. Colorado Mines does not publish an average GPA.
Admissions Factors
How Colorado Mines weighs each part of your application.
Rigor of High School Record
Academic GPA
Standardized Test Scores
Application Essay
Recommendations
Extracurricular Activities
Character / Personal Qualities
Talent / Ability
First Generation
Level of Applicant's Interest
Class Rank
Volunteer Work
Work Experience
Geographical Residence
State Residency
Alumni Relation
Racial / Ethnic Status
Religious Affiliation
Cost of Attendance
Estimated full-time annual cost from Colorado Mines's Common Data Set. Only tuition changes with residency.
Out-of-state students pay $22,080 more — entirely in tuition. Room, board, and other costs are identical regardless of residency.
Financial Aid
Need-based aid statistics for full-time first-year students.
Major Distribution
Bachelor's degrees awarded in the past year by academic major.
Student Diversity
Racial and ethnic breakdown of enrolled undergraduate students.
Student-Faculty Ratio
The number of students for every one faculty member, indicating the average level of access students have to instructional staff.
Campus Life
On-campus housing and Greek life participation rates.
Enrollment by Gender
Since some students did not report gender, totals may not fully reflect the student body.
Acceptance Rate
Overall acceptance rate, plus the in-state and out-of-state admit rates the school reports separately.
Admit rate by residency
% admittedEarly Action
CU Boulder offers non-binding Early Action — an earlier decision with no commitment to enroll.
Standardized Tests
CU Boulder is currently test-optional — you may apply without submitting scores.
SAT Accepted?
ACT Accepted?
Test Optional?
SAT Scores
ACT Scores
Class Rank
Where CU Boulder's enrolled first-years placed in their high school graduating class.
Based on the 40% of enrolled students who reported a class rank. CU Boulder does not publish an average GPA.
Admissions Factors
How CU Boulder weighs each part of your application.
Rigor of High School Record
Academic GPA
Standardized Test Scores
Application Essay
Recommendations
Extracurricular Activities
Character / Personal Qualities
Talent / Ability
First Generation
Level of Applicant's Interest
Class Rank
Volunteer Work
Work Experience
Geographical Residence
State Residency
Alumni Relation
Racial / Ethnic Status
Religious Affiliation
Cost of Attendance
Estimated full-time annual cost from CU Boulder's Common Data Set. Only tuition changes with residency.
Out-of-state students pay $30,142 more — entirely in tuition. Room, board, and other costs are identical regardless of residency.
Financial Aid
Need-based aid statistics for full-time first-year students.
Major Distribution
Bachelor's degrees awarded in the past year by academic major.
Student Diversity
Racial and ethnic breakdown of enrolled undergraduate students.
Student-Faculty Ratio
The number of students for every one faculty member, indicating the average level of access students have to instructional staff.
Campus Life
On-campus housing and Greek life participation rates.
Enrollment by Gender
Since some students did not report gender, totals may not fully reflect the student body.
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Colorado Mines vs. CU Boulder: frequently asked questions
Is Colorado Mines or CU Boulder harder to get into?＋
Colorado Mines is more selective: it admits about 58% of applicants, compared with 75.9% at CU Boulder. Both are competitive, and your odds depend on far more than the overall rate.
Which has higher SAT scores, Colorado Mines or CU Boulder?＋
The middle 50% of admitted students scored 1340–1460 at Colorado Mines and 1180–1390 at CU Boulder on the SAT. Treat the ranges as a benchmark — a score inside or above a school's range keeps you competitive there.
Is Colorado Mines or CU Boulder cheaper for out-of-state students?＋
Colorado Mines has the lower published price for out-of-state students — $42,120 in tuition and fees versus $44,748 at CU Boulder, a gap of about $2,628 a year before financial aid.
Does Colorado Mines or CU Boulder have a higher graduation rate?＋
Colorado Mines graduates a higher share of its students within six years — 81% versus 74% at CU Boulder.
Source: Colorado School of Mines Common Data Set 2022-2023. Figures transcribed 2026-06-10. Esslo aggregates publicly reported data and is not affiliated with Colorado Mines. Banner photo by Luke Jones, via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0).
Source: University of Colorado Boulder Common Data Set 2024-2025. Figures transcribed 2026-06-10. Esslo aggregates publicly reported data and is not affiliated with CU Boulder. Banner photo by Laura Scudder (Laurascudder), via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0).