CU Boulder is committed to providing a financially attainable higher education experience. To meet rising costs of instruction, the 2023-24 proposed CU Boulder budget includes tuition increases for some students.
By the numbers
- More than 15,000 CU Boulder students supported via need-based and merit-based awards annually
- $134 million of CU Boulder financial aid disbursed annually
- $57,800 median starting salary for students with a CU Boulder bachelor's degree (Payscale, 2020)
About the proposed changes:
- 4% tuition increase for incoming new undergraduate resident and non-resident students.
- Because of CU Boulder’s tuition guarantee, continuing undergraduates who will complete their degrees in four years will not see an increase.
- 4% tuition increase for graduate students.
- The budget also increases institutional financial aid and increased support for the Chancellor’s Diversity Initiative.
Recent CU Boulder steps to make higher education more financially attainable:
- The 2023–24 budget proposal includes increased funding for institutional financial aid.
- Four-year lock on tuition for incoming undergraduates.
- Elimination of course and program fees, student information systems fee.
- Reduced Residential Academic Program fee by 50%.
- No tuition increases for Fall 2020, and a one-time tuition increase buydown in Fall 2021.
- Automatic scholarships for qualified Colorado resident students.
- A $200-per-year reduction to mandatory fees from the elimination of a capital construction fee.
- Scholarships for academically qualified transfer students.
- CU Boulder is expanding the CU Promise program in 2023-24, doubling the number of Colorado resident students with significant financial need who are eligible for free tuition and fees for the 2023–24 academic year.
- Many graduate students receive a high level of financial support as they pursue their degree.
- In 2021, CU Boulder began covering mandatory fees for graduate students on assistantship appointments.
- Eligible graduate students on appointment received a base-building 3% across-the-board pay increase, effective Jan. 1, 2023.
