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The average acceptance rate at CU Boulder over the past 10 years is 80.23%, and the most recent acceptance rate is 78.08%. Compared to the previous year, it became much more competitive to gain admission to CU Boulder in 2025. The acceptance rate at CU Boulder is relatively high, giving applicants a greater chance of admission.
The average yield (enrollment rate) over the period is 19.68%, and the 2025 yield is 14.15%. Overall, the yield has decreased by 43.17% from 2015 to 2025.
The number of CU Boulder applicants increased by 20.01% (11,217 applicants) compared to the previous year. Over the entire 10-year period, applicants increased by 114.80% overall.
The current acceptance rate for the 2025 admission cycle is 78.08%, demonstrating consistent admission standards over the past decade. The stability of this rate suggests that CU Boulder maintains a predictable and steady admissions environment for prospective students.
The admission yield (the percentage of admitted students who enroll) for the 2025 academic year is 14.15%. The declining yield trend suggests that a lower percentage of admitted students are choosing to enroll at CU Boulder. This pattern may reflect increased competition from peer institutions, changing student demographics, or shifts in institutional enrollment strategy.
For the 2025 admission cycle, CU Boulder received approximately 67,286 applications, admitted 52,539 students, and enrolled 7,432 students. The rising application volume trend indicates that CU Boulder is attracting an increasing number of prospective students over time. This growth in applications typically reflects enhanced institutional visibility, improved marketing initiatives, or increasing perceived value in the higher education market.
CU Boulder 10-Year Admission Rate Summary: The acceptance rate trends at CU Boulder over the past decade show a relatively stable trend, with fluctuations in both directions. The average acceptance rate over this period is 80.23%, while the most recent rate stands at 78.08%. This data reflects the institution's evolving competitiveness in the higher education admissions landscape.
For the most recent admission cycle (2025), the acceptance rate is 78.08%. By gender, the average acceptance rate for men is 76.95% and for women is 83.35%.
The following table and chart show how acceptance rates at CU Boulder have changed over the past 10 years (2015-2025).
| Year | Total | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-16 | 79.62% | 76.70% | 82.93% |
| 2016-17 | 76.62% -3.00% |
74.11% -2.58% |
79.44% -3.49% |
| 2017-18 | 79.84% 3.22% |
77.26% 3.14% |
82.66% 3.22% |
| 2018-19 | 81.54% 1.70% |
79.85% 2.60% |
83.30% 0.64% |
| 2019-20 | 78.35% -3.19% |
76.38% -3.47% |
80.29% -3.01% |
| 2020-21 | 84.20% 5.85% |
82.78% 6.40% |
85.61% 5.32% |
| 2021-22 | 80.00% -4.20% |
75.00% -7.78% |
83.00% -2.60% |
| 2022-23 | 80.73% 0.73% |
75.40% 0.40% |
85.75% 2.75% |
| 2023-24 | 83.28% 2.55% |
79.29% 3.89% |
87.11% 1.36% |
| 2024-25 | 78.08% -5.19% |
72.69% -6.60% |
83.42% -3.69% |
| Average | 80.23% | 76.95% | 83.35% |
CU Boulder has demonstrated a decline in admission yield over the past 10 years. The institution's yield rate has decreased from 24.89% in 2015 to 14.15% in 2025, representing a 43.17% decrease. The 10-year average yield stands at 19.68%, reflecting weakening enrollment performance.
The following table and chart illustrate the changes in yield at CU Boulder from 2015 to 2025. The admission yield has decreased by 43.17% over this period.
| Year | Total | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-16 | 24.89% | 26.11% | 23.62% |
| 2016-17 | 24.68% -0.21% |
26.66% 0.55% |
22.61% -1.01% |
| 2017-18 | 22.76% -1.92% |
24.04% -2.63% |
21.46% -1.15% |
| 2018-19 | 22.45% -0.31% |
23.80% -0.23% |
21.10% -0.36% |
| 2019-20 | 22.32% -0.13% |
23.40% -0.40% |
21.30% 0.20% |
| 2020-21 | 17.00% -5.32% |
18.15% -5.25% |
15.90% -5.40% |
| 2021-22 | 16.00% -1.00% |
19.00% 0.85% |
13.00% -2.90% |
| 2022-23 | 16.37% 0.37% |
18.34% -0.66% |
14.73% 1.73% |
| 2023-24 | 16.16% -0.21% |
17.22% -1.12% |
15.23% 0.50% |
| 2024-25 | 14.15% -2.02% |
15.08% -2.14% |
13.34% -1.89% |
| Average | 19.68% | 21.18% | 18.23% |
Over the past 10 years, The average number of applicants is 45,490, the average number of admitted is 36,528, and the average number of first-year enrolled students is 6,845.
The number of CU Boulder applicants increased by 20.01% (11,217 applicants) compared to the previous year. Over the entire 10-year period, applicants increased by 114.80% overall.
The following table and chart show the changes of applicants, admitted, and enrolled headcount at University of Colorado Boulder from 2015 to 2025.
| Year | Applicants | Admitted | Enrolled |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-16 | 31,325 | 24,941 | 6,208 |
| 2016-17 | 34,047 8.69% |
26,087 4.59% |
6,439 3.72% |
| 2017-18 | 36,148 6.17% |
28,861 10.63% |
6,569 2.02% |
| 2018-19 | 36,604 1.26% |
29,848 3.42% |
6,700 1.99% |
| 2019-20 | 40,677 11.13% |
31,872 6.78% |
7,113 6.16% |
| 2020-21 | 44,203 8.67% |
37,221 16.78% |
6,326 -11.06% |
| 2021-22 | 54,756 23.87% |
43,805 17.69% |
7,009 10.80% |
| 2022-23 | 53,781 -1.78% |
43,416 -0.89% |
7,106 1.38% |
| 2023-24 | 56,069 4.25% |
46,692 7.55% |
7,546 6.19% |
| 2024-25 | 67,286 20.01% |
52,539 12.52% |
7,432 -1.51% |
| Average | 45,490 | 36,528 | 6,845 |
The following table compares University of Colorado Boulder' acceptance rate to similar schools.
| 2024 | 2025 | Change % | |
|---|---|---|---|
| University of Colorado Boulder | 83.28% | 78.08% | -6.24% |
| University of Arizona | 86.14% | 85.66% | 0.56% |
| Washington State University | 86.64% | 85.36% | 1.50% |
| University of California-Los Angeles | 8.97% | 8.73% | 2.75% |
| Arizona State University Campus Immersion | 89.89% | 90.19% | -0.33% |
| University of Washington-Seattle Campus | 39.15% | 42.53% | -7.95% |
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