University of Colorado acceptance rate and your odds of getting in
University of Colorado, a public university in Colorado, reports a 78% acceptance rate and sits in the accessible band. In practice that means it admits most qualified applicants, so a strong application is judged against an applicant pool that is already self-selected.
Use this page to see what University of Colorado weighs, where it ranks among Colorado schools, and how a profile like yours is likely to land. Admitted students post a 75th-percentile SAT around 1340, a useful checkpoint for where your scores sit, though it is a reference range and not a cutoff.
University of Colorado application deadlines, 2026-27 · University of Colorado supplemental essays, 2026-27
What do students study at University of Colorado?
Bachelor's degrees awarded by field in 2023 (IPEDS completions). Each field has its own page with the school's numbers, the model's major adjustment, and peers offering it.
Will I get into University of Colorado?
Direct answers to what applicants ask about getting into University of Colorado, plus a free way to calculate your own odds.
What are my chances of getting into University of Colorado?
Your odds at University of Colorado are not the same as its 78% acceptance rate. Your real odds depend on how your GPA, course rigor, test scores, and activities compare to its admitted students. Run your profile through the free CollegeCalcAI calculator to get a personalized acceptance percentage for University of Colorado in about three minutes, with no account needed to start.
Is University of Colorado hard to get into?
University of Colorado is accessible: it admits most qualified applicants, with about a 78% acceptance rate. Meeting the academic basics gives most qualified applicants a realistic shot.
What GPA do you need to get into University of Colorado?
There is no hard GPA cutoff at University of Colorado, but admitted students span a wide GPA range, with many in the 2.8 to 3.5 band. University of Colorado reads your GPA alongside the rigor of your courses, so a challenging schedule matters as much as the number itself.
Your chances at University of Colorado by GPA and SAT
Estimated chance of admission at University of Colorado for plain profiles, from the same model as the calculator. Unweighted GPA, 3 AP courses, Regular Decision, no legacy, athletic or first-generation hook. The last column is test-optional (no score sent).
What are my chances at University of Colorado with a 3.1 GPA and a 1340 SAT?
About 97% (Safety), by CollegeCalcAI's deterministic model, for an applicant with a 3.1 unweighted GPA and a 1340 SAT, the middle of University of Colorado's admitted range, applying Regular Decision without a hook. A 3.4 GPA with a 1430 SAT comes out near 98%. Courses, activities, essays and the application round move the number; the free calculator includes them.
Estimates, not guarantees. Get yours with your real courses and activities. Assistants and developers can fetch this table from the free API: /api/v1/colleges/university-of-colorado.
How to get into University of Colorado
Built from University of Colorado's admitted class and what it reports weighing. The typical-admit GPA and SAT are CollegeCalcAI's modeled figures, not published cutoffs.
There is no formula that guarantees a spot at University of Colorado, but the applicants who get in tend to do the same four things. Here is what the numbers say each one looks like.
CollegeCalcAI's modeled typical admit at University of Colorado carries about a 3.14 core GPA and a 1380 SAT, in the most rigorous schedule available. Meeting it puts you in the admitted range for most applicants.
The admitted middle 50% is 1240 to 1430 SAT (29 to 33 ACT). Submit a score at 1335 or higher; below 1240, apply test-optional if the policy allows.
University of Colorado rates rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores highest in its own Common Data Set. Put your depth there: and a transcript whose rigor rises through junior year.
Most public universities read early applicants first without a binding commitment. Apply by University of Colorado's early or priority deadline (confirm dates at www.colorado.edu), and if you are out of state, know that residency changes both the bar and the price.
How many students apply to University of Colorado, and how many get in?
University of Colorado admitted 46,692 of the 56,069 students who applied for fall 2023, which works out to 83.3%. 7,546 enrolled. Only about 16% of admitted students enrolled, so the school admits several students for every seat it expects to fill, which is why its acceptance rate reads higher than its selectivity feels. University of Colorado enrolls about 31,939 undergraduates in total, 47% of them women, with a student-to-faculty ratio of 19 to 1.
Source: U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS 2023 admissions and enrollment.
What SAT and ACT scores do you need for University of Colorado?
Admitted students at University of Colorado post SAT scores of 1240 to 1430 in the middle 50%, with an average of 1357. On the ACT the middle 50% runs from 29 to 33. A score above 1430 puts you in the top quarter of admits and turns the test into an asset; a score below 1240 puts you in the bottom quarter, where the rest of the application has to carry more weight. University of Colorado is test-optional: scores are considered if you submit them but not required. Send a score at or above the middle of the admitted range; otherwise apply without one and let your transcript lead.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10.
What University of Colorado looks for
What University of Colorado weighs most heavily in its admissions review, informed by its reported Common Data Set.
The factors that carry the most weight at University of Colorado are rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores. Solid grades in a challenging schedule do most of the work here, with the rest of the application providing context. These ratings come from University of Colorado's reported Common Data Set, so the full chart below reflects what the school itself says it values, not a generic guess.
SAT score positioning at University of Colorado
How common SAT scores sit relative to the admitted middle. This is context, not a probability. Your full profile determines the real estimate.
How much does University of Colorado cost after financial aid?
The full sticker price at University of Colorado (tuition, fees, housing, food, books) is about $37,684 a year. Tuition and fees are $15,666 for CO residents and $44,918 for out-of-state students, a $29,252 gap that makes residency the single biggest lever on cost. What families actually pay is different: the average net price after grants and scholarships is $25,346 a year, and it ranges from $14,231 for families earning under $30,000 to $34,818 for families earning over $110,000. 14% of undergraduates receive a federal Pell Grant.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10. Net price is what students receiving aid paid after grants, by family income.
What do University of Colorado graduates earn, and how many graduate?
Median earnings for University of Colorado students ten years after entry are $69,738 ($54,939 at the six-year mark). 74% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years, and 90% return for a second year. Among graduates who borrowed, median federal debt at graduation is $19,500; 25% of undergraduates take federal loans.
Source: College Scorecard (U.S. Department of Education), release 2026-06-10. Earnings cover students who received federal aid.
How University of Colorado compares in Colorado
University of Colorado ranks #6 most selective of 16 schools in Colorado in our database.
Among the 16 Colorado schools we track, University of Colorado ranks #6 most selective by acceptance rate. Schools like U.S. Air Force Academy (14%) and Colorado College (18%) sit nearby, which makes Colorado a useful frame for calibrating a balanced list. As a public university, residency matters: in-state applicants generally see meaningfully better odds than the headline rate suggests.
Similar to University of Colorado
Schools with a similar selectivity profile, worth comparing as you build a balanced list.
Applicants targeting University of Colorado often weigh Eastern Kentucky University, Indiana University, and Jacksonville State University, which sit at a similar level. Running the same profile against each one in the free calculator is the fastest way to see where you are a reach, a match, or a likely.
Frequently asked questions
What is University of Colorado's acceptance rate?
University of Colorado admitted 46,692 of 56,069 applicants for the fall 2023 entering class, an acceptance rate of 83.3% (U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS). 16% of admitted students enrolled.
What SAT score do you need for University of Colorado?
The middle 50% of admitted students scored 1240 to 1430 on the SAT and 29 to 33 on the ACT. A score above 1430 is in the top quarter of admits. University of Colorado is test-optional, so only submit a score that helps.
Is University of Colorado test-optional?
Yes. University of Colorado reports that test scores are considered but not required. Submit a score at or above the middle of the admitted range; otherwise apply without one.
How much does University of Colorado cost after financial aid?
The average net price at University of Colorado, what students receiving aid paid after grants and scholarships, is $25,346 a year against a sticker price of about $37,684. Families earning under $30,000 paid about $14,231 on average.
What do University of Colorado graduates earn?
Median earnings ten years after entering University of Colorado are $69,738 a year among students who received federal aid, and 74% of students graduate within six years (College Scorecard).
What does University of Colorado value most in applicants?
Based on its admissions profile, University of Colorado weighs rigor of secondary school record, academic GPA, and standardized test scores most heavily. The full factor breakdown is on this page.
Does University of Colorado favor in-state applicants?
As a public university, University of Colorado generally admits in-state applicants at a higher rate than out-of-state applicants, so your home state affects your odds. CollegeCalcAI applies an in-state residency boost when you select your state.
How can I improve my chances at University of Colorado?
Focus on the highest-leverage parts of your application: course rigor and GPA trajectory first, then test scores, then a focused leadership or activity spike. CollegeCalcAI's Power-Ups quantify how much each change would move your odds at University of Colorado specifically.
What are the admission requirements for University of Colorado?
University of Colorado reviews GPA, course rigor, test scores (where submitted), activities, and essays. With a more accessible acceptance rate, meeting the academic basics gives most qualified applicants a realistic shot.
Acceptance rate, application counts, admitted test ranges, cost, and outcomes reflect publicly reported federal data (U.S. Department of Education: IPEDS 2023 and the College Scorecard) and each school's Common Data Set; figures are rounded and lag the current cycle by one to two years, so confirm deadlines and policies on the school's own site. The typical-admit GPA and SAT are CollegeCalcAI's modeled estimates. Estimates from CollegeCalcAI are a planning tool computed by a fixed, transparent model, not a guarantee of any admission decision.