Boulder, Colorado Colleges: Costs & Earnings (2026 stats)
Executive Summary (TL;DR)
Colleges in Boulder, Colorado: median public in-state tuition $27,606 (+384.3% vs national median) median 10-year earnings $57,246 (-3.6% vs U.S.) employment-outcome proxy 86.3% working & not enrolled at 8 years median graduate debt $18,500 (+37.0% vs U.S.) 40,794 students enrolled statewide.
Overview
Colleges and universities in Boulder serve students across Colorado with associate, bachelor's, and graduate pathways. 4 reporting campuses in this city profile, with about 40,794 students enrolled in federal data, and median in-state tuition near $27,606. Tables below compare costs, completion, earnings, and standout institutions against Boulder, Colorado and U.S. medians from the College Scorecard.
Boulder vs Colorado & national benchmarks
Medians aggregate institution-level College Scorecard fields unless noted. Enrollment is total undergraduate headcount summed across reporting campuses.
| Geography | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion rate | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boulder, Colorado | $27,606 | $27,904 | $18,500 | 44.5% | 40,794 |
| Colorado (state median) | $5,218 | $8,585 | $11,797 | 45.0% | 256,128 |
| United States | $5,700 | $9,912 | $13,500 | 49.3% | 14,465,291 |
Earnings & employment outcomes: Boulder, Colorado vs benchmarks
Scorecard does not publish formal job-placement rates. We use the share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled (working ÷ working + not working) as a federal employment-outcome proxy. 2-yr and 3-yr default rates are federal cohort default shares (0–1 scale). We show 2-yr default as the primary benchmark; 3-yr default appears only when enough campuses report non-suppressed values (otherwise —). 3-yr repayment progress is the share of completers making progress on loans after 3 years. Sample: bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200. Medians pool campus-level values.
| Geography | Median earnings (10 yr) | Working & not enrolled (8 yr) | Retention (FT yr 1) | 2-yr default | 3-yr default | 3-yr repayment progress | Debt ÷ earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boulder, Colorado | $57,246 | 86.3% | 72.2% | 3.7% | — | 75.0% | 0.46 |
| Colorado (state median) | $58,156 | 91.2% | 72.4% | 4.4% | — | 70.4% | 0.34 |
| United States | $59,401 | 93.0% | 76.4% | 5.0% | — | 73.8% | 0.36 |
Other cities in Colorado (3+ campuses)
Other cities in the same state with at least three reporting campuses.
| City | In-state tuition | Net price | Median debt | Completion | Enrollment | Earnings (10 yr) | Working (8 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boulder, Colorado | $27,606 | $27,904 | $18,500 | 44.5% | 40,794 | $57,246 | 86.3% |
| Denver | $11,540 | $17,867 | $18,650 | 48.9% | 55,249 | $78,588 | 92.3% |
| Colorado Springs | $11,617 | $19,392 | $9,833 | 34.2% | 50,332 | $53,170 | 88.3% |
| Fort Collins | $13,774 | $22,247 | $9,833 | 67.6% | 25,877 | $66,947 | 93.9% |
| Lakewood | $16,044 | $25,187 | $18,288 | 36.5% | 12,838 | $48,894 | 82.8% |
| Lakewood | $16,044 | $25,187 | $18,288 | 36.5% | 12,838 | $48,894 | 82.8% |
| Lakewood | $16,044 | $25,187 | $18,288 | 36.5% | 12,838 | $48,894 | 82.8% |
| Greeley | $7,654 | $10,590 | $8,000 | 38.4% | 9,246 | $56,980 | 93.0% |
| Grand Junction | $10,257 | $18,748 | $16,160 | 43.2% | 9,220 | N/A | N/A |
| United States | $5,700 | $9,912 | $13,500 | 49.3% | 14,465,291 | $59,401 | 93.0% |
Top college in Boulder, Colorado by graduation rate (150% time)
Ranked by 150% time completion rate (4-year bachelor's-predominant institutions, enrollment ≥ 500). Higher rate = more students finishing within 150% of normal time.
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Rank 1, Graduation Rate, 74.3%, University of Colorado Boulder
University of Colorado Boulder
Top college in Boulder, Colorado by employment outcome (8 yrs after entry, working & not enrolled)
Ranked by share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled — a federal outcome proxy, not a verified job-placement rate. Enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, Employment Outcome, 93.2%, University of Colorado Boulder
University of Colorado Boulder
Most selective college in Boulder, Colorado (lowest admission rate)
Ranked by lowest admission rate (most selective first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500 and a reported admission rate.
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Rank 1, Admission Rate, 78.1%, University of Colorado Boulder
University of Colorado Boulder
Top 2 colleges in Boulder, Colorado by entry-level earnings (1 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings one year after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; reflects completers in reported CIP programs, not all entrants.
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Rank 1, Entry-Level Earnings, $88,113, University of Colorado Boulder
University of Colorado Boulder
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Rank 2, Entry-Level Earnings, $15,763, Naropa University
Naropa University
Top 2 colleges in Boulder, Colorado by early-career earnings (4 yr post-completion, program)
Ranked by median program-level earnings four years after completion (highest first). Enrollment ≥ 300; program cohort, not institution-wide median.
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Rank 1, Early-Career Earnings, $121,952, University of Colorado Boulder
University of Colorado Boulder
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Rank 2, Early-Career Earnings, $43,238, Naropa University
Naropa University
Top college in Boulder, Colorado by mid-career earnings (6 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings six years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, Mid-Career Earnings, $62,700, University of Colorado Boulder
University of Colorado Boulder
Top college in Boulder, Colorado by 8-year earnings (8 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings eight years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, 8-Yr Earnings, $70,382, University of Colorado Boulder
University of Colorado Boulder
Top college in Boulder, Colorado by long-term earnings (10 yrs after entry)
Ranked by median earnings ten years after entry (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr Earnings, $77,574, University of Colorado Boulder
University of Colorado Boulder
Top 2 colleges in Boulder, Colorado by 10-year ROI
Ranked by 10-year return on investment (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant institutions with enrollment ≥ 200 and a computed ROI in the EDsmart dataset.
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Rank 1, 10-Yr ROI, $232,635, University of Colorado Boulder
University of Colorado Boulder
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Rank 2, 10-Yr ROI, $11,358, Naropa University
Naropa University
Top 2 most affordable colleges in Boulder, Colorado (net price)
Ranked by lowest average net price (most affordable first). Uses overall net price, or mid-income bracket net price for public schools when available. Enrollment ≥ 300.
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Rank 1, Net Price, $23,708, University of Colorado Boulder
University of Colorado Boulder
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Rank 2, Net Price, $31,713, Naropa University
Naropa University
Top college in Boulder, Colorado by first-year retention (full-time)
Ranked by first-year, full-time retention rate (highest first). Bachelor's-predominant four-year institutions with enrollment ≥ 500.
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Rank 1, First-Year Retention, 90.1%, University of Colorado Boulder
University of Colorado Boulder
In-state tuition: Boulder, Colorado vs benchmarks
Sticker price
Boulder, Colorado median in-state tuition is $27,606, +384.3% vs the U.S. median.
Student debt: Boulder, Colorado vs benchmarks
Borrowing
Median debt at graduation in Boulder, Colorado is $18,500 (+37.0% vs U.S. median $13,500). Regional median: $9,750.
Median earnings (10 years out): Boulder, Colorado vs benchmarks
Payoff
Median earnings 10 years after entry for bachelor's-predominant campuses in Boulder, Colorado center around $57,246 (-3.6% vs U.S.).
Median institution-level 10-year earnings. Source: College Scorecard.
Employment outcome proxy: Boulder, Colorado vs benchmarks
Working & not enrolled
The share of the 8-year cohort reported as working and not enrolled—our Scorecard employment proxy—is 86.3% at the median Boulder, Colorado campus (-6.8 pp vs U.S.).
Percent of 8-year cohort working and not enrolled (not a formal placement rate).
Analysis & insights
EDsmart Data aggregates institution-level College Scorecard data for this profile. Highlights below compare local medians to U.S. and regional benchmarks.
Costs & borrowing
Boulder, Colorado median public in-state tuition is $27,606, about +384.3% vs the national median. Versus the Rocky Mountains region, tuition is +443.2%.
Median graduate debt is $18,500 (+37.0% above the U.S. median of $13,500). Low sticker prices do not always mean low borrowing—living costs, time-to-degree, and aid mix matter.
Earnings, employment & retention
Among bachelor's-predominant campuses with ≥200 students, median 10-year earnings in Boulder, Colorado are $57,246, about -3.6% vs the U.S. campus median ($59,401).
The median campus reports 86.3% of its 8-year cohort as working and not enrolled—our closest federal proxy to a placement rate. The U.S. campus median is 93.0% (-6.8 pp). Formal job-placement statistics are not published in Scorecard; treat this as a comparative outcome indicator, not a hire guarantee.
First-year, full-time retention at the median campus is 72.2% vs a U.S. median of 76.4%—a leading indicator for completion and time-to-degree.
Loan repayment indicators at the median campus: 2-yr default 3.7% (U.S. 5.0%); 3-yr repayment progress 75.0% (U.S. 73.8%). 3-yr default is omitted when most campuses report suppressed zeros.
Top employment-outcome campuses in this extract include University of Colorado Boulder (93.2%)—useful anchors for local reporting on where graduates are most often working rather than still enrolled.
Completion & workforce context
Average institution-level completion rate across all sectors in Boulder, Colorado is 44.5% (national institution average about 49.3%).
Frequently Asked Questions
How many colleges are in Boulder?
This city profile covers 4 campuses in Boulder, Colorado with College Scorecard cost or outcomes data.
How much does college cost in Boulder?
Median in-state tuition in Boulder is $27,606 and median net price is $27,904. For Colorado overall, medians are $5,218 and $8,585; U.S. medians are $5,700 and $9,912.
What do graduates earn in Boulder?
Median 10-year earnings for campuses in Boulder is $57,246 vs $58,156 for Colorado and $59,401 nationally.
What is student debt like for Boulder colleges?
Median completer debt in Boulder is $18,500 vs $11,797 for Colorado and $13,500 nationally.
What are the best colleges in Boulder?
Top campuses on this page include University of Colorado Boulder (graduation) and University of Colorado Boulder (10-yr earnings). See Top 10 lists for admission, affordability, and employment metrics.
Are there HBCUs, Hispanic-serving, tribal, or religious colleges in Boulder?
Among 4 College Scorecard campuses in Boulder, Colorado, none are flagged as HBCUs or tribal colleges in IPEDS, none report at least 25% Hispanic undergraduate enrollment, and none report a religious affiliation in IPEDS.
Sources & related
- Colorado college profile
- All college profiles
- National benchmarks
- U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard
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