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The Pennsylvania State University (PSU) vs CU-Boulder

Nestled in the heart of Pennsylvania and Colorado respectively, The Pennsylvania State University (PSU) and University of Colorado Boulder (CU Boulder) stand as two prominent beacons of higher education. While both universities share a commitment to academic excellence and offer a diverse range of programs, they also possess unique characteristics that set them apart. PSU boasts a larger student body, a higher acceptance rate, and a wider selection of undergraduate majors compared to CU Boulder. On the other hand, CU Boulder has a slightly higher graduation rate and a more diverse student population. To help you make an informed decision about your academic journey, we have compiled a comprehensive comparison table that delves into these differences in greater detail. Explore the table to discover which university better aligns with your aspirations and goals.
The Pennsylvania State University logo

The Pennsylvania State University

 		University of Colorado Boulder logo

University of Colorado Boulder

Overview

Location University Park, Pennsylvania Boulder, Colorado
Campus setting City: Small City: Midsize
College type 4 year 4 year
Control/business model Public Public
Calendar system Semester Semester
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 92.3% 79.6%
Application fees
Undergraduate: $65
Graduate: $65
Undergraduate: $50
Graduate: $60
SAT range 1140 - 1360 1170 - 1390
ACT range 25 - 31 25 - 31
Students submitting SAT score 32.0% 32.0%
Students submitting ACT score 6.0% 16.0%
Total number of applicants 96,686 54,756
Total number of admissions given out 89,207 43,576
Admitted students who chose to enroll 16,049 6,785
Yield rate 18.0% 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 Required

Tuition and Fees

Sticker price
In state: $38,270
Out of state: $55,848
In state: $29,725
Out of state: $55,543
Average net price $24,012 $22,532
Tuition
In state: $18,368
Out of state: $35,946
In state: $10,728
Out of state: $36,546
Room & board
Room/dormitory: $7,360
Meal plan: $5,618
$15,220
Available payment plans
  • Tuition payment plan
  • Guaranteed tuition plan
  • Tuition payment plan

Financial Aid

Students receiving financial aid

(Grants & scholarships)

 51.0%
Average amount $9,884 		53.0%
Average amount $9,214
Students receiving federal student loan 49.0%
Average amount $5,305 		27.0%
Average amount $4,986
Students taking out private loans 13.0%
Average amount $19,837 		6.0%
Average amount $24,094

Students and Campus
Undergraduate students 73,476
Men 53.7% Women 46.3% 		30,886
Men 54.8% Women 45.2%
Graduate students 15,438
Men 51.7% Women 48.3% 		8,114
Men 57.8% Women 42.2%
Racial/ethnic diversity
Low
Low
Out-of-state students 34.1% 48.8%
International students 10.5% 7.1%
Campus local/setting City: Small City: Midsize
Dormitory capacity 20,547 7,500
First year students are required to live on campus? No No
Top 5 states where most U.S. students come from Pennsylvania New Jersey New York Maryland Virginia Colorado California Texas Illinois New York

Academics

Popular study areas
  • Business
  • Engineering
  • Computer and Information Science
  • Health Professions
  • Social Sciences
  • Business
  • Engineering
  • Communication and Journalism
  • Visual & Performing Arts
  • Legal Profession
Students to faculty ratio 15:1 18:1
Institutional accreditation Middle States Commission on Higher Education Higher Learning Commission

Outcome

Graduation rate 72.3% 74.0%
Dropout rate 25.7% 8.6%
Transferred out N/A 15.9%
Alumni salary by major (Top 10)
Information Science/Studies (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $109,295
  • Year 2: $120,549
  • Year 3: $125,527
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $99,798
  • Year 2: $95,930
  • Year 3: $120,289
Computer Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $100,190
  • Year 2: $97,959
  • Year 3: $113,544
Mining and Mineral Engineering (Associate's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $98,403
  • Year 3: $108,754
Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $100,372
  • Year 2: $100,455
  • Year 3: $107,874
Systems Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $96,574
  • Year 2: $99,291
  • Year 3: $104,370
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $95,304
  • Year 2: $97,855
  • Year 3: $104,056
Business Administration, Management and Operations (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: $92,512
  • Year 2: $94,864
  • Year 3: $103,461
Management Information Systems and Services (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $92,632
  • Year 3: $98,201
Nuclear Engineering (Master's Degrees)
  • Year 1: N/A
  • Year 2: $89,155
  • Year 3: $94,780
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

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The list of suggested college comparisons provided below is generated automatically by our system, utilizing statistics gathered from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) and various online sources. If you don't find the colleges you wish to compare, please visit our comparison page. There, you can search for the specific colleges and initiate your comparison.
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