University of Colorado at Boulder

Founded in 1876, the University of Colorado Boulder is a public university. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 32,100 (Fall 2023), and its campus is located on 600 acres in the city. The university operates on a semester-based academic calendar. The University of Colorado Boulder is ranked 98th in the nation in the 2025 edition of Best Colleges. In-state tuition and fees are $14,002 and out-of-state tuition and fees are $43,622.

The University of Colorado at Boulder (CU Boulder for short) is nestled against the backdrop of the majestic Rocky Mountains. Boulder is a vibrant college town with over 80 miles of bike paths and walking trails. At night, students can travel anywhere in the city for free on the CU NightRide shuttle bus, which operates on Fridays and Saturdays until 1:15 a.m. and other times until 12:15 a.m. There are more than 450 student clubs and organizations on campus, and about 20 fraternities and sororities. New students are required to live on campus. The Colorado Buffaloes compete in the National Collegiate Athletic Association Pac-12 Division I Conference. The student-athletes, referred to as "Buffaloes," are supported by two Buffalo mascots: a student-costumed Chip and a live animal, Ralphie V. For off-campus travel, there are 11 ski resorts within a three-hour drive of campus, and Rocky Mountain National Park is 45 miles away. Slightly closer is the state capital of Denver, where students can watch professional sports or enjoy concerts at the unique outdoor concert hall, Red Rocks Amphitheater.

CU Boulder is the only school in the Rocky Mountain region to be in the Association of American Universities, a group of 62 research universities. The university's College of Engineering and Applied Sciences and College of Education have highly ranked graduate programs. Its law school emphasizes experiential learning through clinics, externships, competitions and public interest work. CU Boulder graduates are immediately inducted into the dues-free alumni association, Forever Buffs, whose distinguished members include South Park creators Trey Parker Trey Parker) and Matt Stone and sportscasters Chris Fowler and Jim Gray.