University of Colorado Boulder
Academics

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How strong are the academics at University of Colorado Boulder?

Let's cover class sizes, graduation rates, and outcomes.

18:1
Student to faculty ratio
34
Average class size
58%
4-year grad rate

Class Sizes

Class sizes likely stayed the same for you through high school. You'll find that college is much different. Some of the largest universities have classes that can seat hundreds of students in giant lecture halls. Conversely, as they progress and their focus narrows, higher-level courses can sometimes have just a handful of students.

CU Boulder has an average student-to-faculty ratio of 18:1. The typical school is 14:1. While this ratio is important, what’s more important is how big a typical class is.

Class Sizes
2-9
272
10-19
1,170
20-29
799
30-39
441
40-49
218
50-99
384
100+
282

Honors Programs

University of Colorado Boulder has an honors program and/or honors college. Specifics of these programs vary, but benefits of being in an Honors Program might include priority registration, being part of a tight-knit community, and accessing unique learning opportunities.

Learn more about honors options on CU Boulder's website.

Outcomes

It’s critical to understand a school’s outcomes to understand if your four (or more) years at the school will be worth it. Here are some key statistics about the outcomes of students who enroll at University of Colorado Boulder:

89%
First-year retention rate
58%
4-year grad rate
75%
6-year grad rate

Majors

Many students choose a school largely based on the what they want to study. The are University of Colorado Boulder's most popular majors, ranked by how many people graduated with the concentration in the most recent year:

Business Administration and Management, General
Psychology, General
Computer Science
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication
Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication
253
442.6
632.2
821.8
1011.4
1201

The Full List

Major Graduates
Architecture And Related Services
  • Environmental Design/Architecture 129
Area
  • Ethnic, Cultural Minority, Gender, and Group Studies 20
  • Ethnic Studies 20
  • Women's Studies 6
  • Russian Studies 4
  • Asian Studies/Civilization 3
Biological And Biomedical Sciences
  • Physiology, General 345
  • Ecology and Evolutionary Biology 173
  • Cell/Cellular and Molecular Biology 130
  • Neuroscience 111
  • Biochemistry 66
Business
  • Business Administration and Management, General 1201
  • Business Statistics 0
Communication
  • Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication 411
  • Public Relations, Advertising, and Applied Communication 411
  • Speech Communication and Rhetoric 156
  • Digital Communication and Media/Multimedia 64
  • Journalism 61
  • Mass Communication/Media Studies 40
Computer And Information Sciences And Support Services
  • Computer Science 472
  • Information Science/Studies 44
Education
  • Elementary Education and Teaching 71
  • Music Teacher Education 10
Engineering
  • Mechanical Engineering 262
  • Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering, General 218
  • Biochemical Engineering 62
  • Electrical and Computer Engineering 54
  • Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering 51
  • Civil Engineering, General 50
  • Chemical Engineering 44
  • Architectural Engineering 31
  • Engineering Physics/Applied Physics 29
  • Electrical and Electronics Engineering 28
  • Engineering, General 26
  • Bioengineering and Biomedical Engineering 10
Engineering/Engineering-Related Technologies/Technicians
  • Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General 67
  • Engineering Technologies/Technicians, General 67
  • ENGINEERING/ENGINEERING-RELATED TECHNOLOGIES/TECHNICIANS 67
English Language And Literature/Letters
  • English Language and Literature, General 93
Foreign Languages
  • Linguistics 23
  • Spanish Language and Literature 11
  • Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics 10
  • Classics and Classical Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General 10
  • Chinese Language and Literature 6
  • Japanese Language and Literature 5
  • Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics 4
  • Germanic Languages, Literatures, and Linguistics, General 4
  • French Language and Literature 2
  • Italian Language and Literature 0
Health Professions And Related Programs
  • Communication Sciences and Disorders, General 56
History
  • History, General 78
Liberal Arts And Sciences
  • Humanities/Humanistic Studies 19
  • General Studies 9
Mathematics And Statistics
  • Mathematics, General 60
  • Applied Mathematics, General 51
  • Statistics, General 18
Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies
  • International/Globalization Studies 105
  • Geography and Environmental Studies 44
  • MULTI/INTERDISCIPLINARY STUDIES 0
  • Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General 0
  • Multi-/Interdisciplinary Studies, General 0
Natural Resources And Conservation
  • Environmental Studies 194
Philosophy And Religious Studies
  • Philosophy 42
  • Religion/Religious Studies 1
  • Jewish/Judaic Studies 0
Physical Sciences
  • Physics, General 77
  • Astronomy 73
  • Chemistry, General 32
  • Geology/Earth Science, General 19
  • Atmospheric Sciences and Meteorology, General 15
Psychology
  • Psychology, General 524
Public Administration And Social Service Professions
  • Community Organization and Advocacy 14
Social Sciences
  • Political Science and Government, General 258
  • Economics, General 243
  • Sociology, General 148
  • Anthropology, General 50
Visual And Performing Arts
  • Film/Cinema/Media Studies 64
  • Fine/Studio Arts, General 49
  • Music Performance, General 47
  • Drama and Dramatics/Theatre Arts, General 26
  • Music, General 20
  • Art History, Criticism and Conservation 16
  • Dance, General 10

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