Is University of Colorado, Boulder Worth It?

Worth is a math problem: what you pay versus what you get. Our data covers the cost side honestly. We do not publish employment outcomes, so this page gives you the full cost picture and tells you exactly where to check the outcomes side (the school's ABA-required employment summary) before you borrow a dollar.

Sticker, per year

$35,992 a year in-state ($44,002 nonresident)

Three-year sticker estimate

$107,976

before living costs or aid

Selectivity rank

#49

by median LSAT, of 196

The cost side

The 2025-2026 sticker price at University of Colorado, Boulder is $35,992 a year in-state ($44,002 nonresident). Over three years that is about $107,976 in tuition alone, before rent, food, books, and interest. Almost nobody should evaluate the school at sticker, though: merit aid frequently brings the real price down, especially for applicants at or above the medians (164 LSAT, 3.81 GPA). Schools discount tuition to buy medians, so clearing them is the strongest aid lever you have.

As a public school, University of Colorado, Boulder charges $35,992 in-state versus $44,002 nonresident. If you can establish residency, the three-year math changes dramatically. Check the school's residency rules early: some states make it easy, some make it nearly impossible.

The outcomes side (do this homework)

We do not have employment data, so verify these yourself from the school's ABA-required employment summary:

What share of graduates work as lawyers? Look for full-time, long-term, bar-passage-required jobs, not just "employed."
What do they actually earn? Median starting salary for the jobs you want, not the average skewed by a few big-firm salaries.
Where do they work? If you want to practice in a specific city, check how many graduates land there.
How many leave with debt, and how much? Compare the school's average debt at graduation to the salaries above.

A school is worth it when the realistic debt load fits the realistic outcome, not the best-case one.

Cheaper peers worth comparing

Similarly selective schools with lower sticker prices. Run the same math on each before you commit:

University of Tennessee, Knoxville - about $50,088 over three years at sticker (rank #49)
Arizona State University - about $85,170 over three years at sticker (rank #44)
University of Iowa - about $92,832 over three years at sticker (rank #49)

The honest decision framework

Price it after aid, not at sticker. Apply, get offers, negotiate. Compare net prices.
Check the employment summary. Real jobs, real salaries, real debt numbers.
Cap your debt at your realistic starting salary. A rough rule: total borrowing near or below what you will earn in year one.
Have a cheaper backup you would actually attend. Leverage in negotiation and peace of mind in April.

Common questions

How much does University of Colorado, Boulder cost?

The 2025-2026 sticker price is $35,992 a year in-state ($44,002 nonresident), which works out to about $107,976 over three years before living costs, books, or scholarships. That is the published price, not what most students pay: merit aid frequently brings it down, especially for applicants above the medians (164 LSAT, 3.81 GPA).

Is University of Colorado, Boulder worth the debt?

That depends on what you earn after, and we do not publish employment outcomes, so read the school’s ABA-required employment summary before deciding. The honest version of the math: compare your likely total debt (after scholarships, not at sticker) against the salaries graduates actually earn in the jobs you want. A school is worth it when the debt load fits the realistic outcome, not the best-case one.

How can I pay less than sticker at University of Colorado, Boulder?

Apply with numbers at or above the medians (164 LSAT, 3.81 GPA): schools discount tuition to buy medians, so clearing them is the strongest merit-aid lever you have. Apply to several peer schools and negotiate competing offers. And run the same cost math on cheaper peers before you commit.

University of Colorado, Boulder admissions data · What LSAT do you need for University of Colorado, Boulder? · All 61 cost guides

Medians from ABA Standard 509 disclosures via ILRG, Fall 2025 entering class. Tuition is the 2025-2026 sticker price. All cost figures are estimates, not guarantees.

Last updated October 12, 2026