Rankings & Achievements
As one of the top-ranked R1 research institutions in the U.S., CU 勒貊勛圖 is the perfect place to pursue your passions and make your mark in your chosen field. Learn from some of the nations most productive faculty and explore exciting new research questions in cutting-edge lab spaces. Once you graduate, leave campus with increased career potential, a greater opportunity to positively impact society and lifelong ties to our far-reaching Buff community.
CU and the Nobel Prize
conferred the greatest benefit to human kind"
CU 勒貊勛圖 boasts five Nobel laureates, four in physics and one in chemistry. Perhaps the world's premier honor for intellectuals, and certainly the best known, it celebrates individuals who have "conferred the greatest benefit to human kind" through their work.
Chemistry, 1989
Discovery of catalytic properties of RNA."
Thomas Cech
Physics, 2001
The achievement of Bose-Einstein condensation in dilute gases of alkali atoms, and for early fundamental studies of the properties of the condensates.
Carl Wieman and Eric Cornell
Physics, 2005
Contributions to the development of laser-based precision spectroscopy, including the optical frequency comb technique.
John Jan Hall
Physics, 2012
Ground-breaking experimental methods that enable measuring and manipulation of individual quantum systems.
David Wineland
Lead.
We shape tomorrows leaders by recognizing and engaging graduates who consistently demonstrate CU 勒貊勛圖 values and apply intellectual curiosity, rigor and collaboration to creatively address complex issues and opportunities.
3
U.S. Supreme Court justices
5
Nobel Prize winners
5
National Medal of Science winners
12
MacArthur fellows
18
CU 勒貊勛圖-affiliated astronauts
90+
Fulbright scholars since 2013
Top Graduate School Rankings
from U.S. News & World Report, 2026
#7
in the nation
in Environmental Law
#16
in the nation
in Real estate
#13
in the nation
in Physics
#18
in the nation
in Engineering
#11
in the nation
in Earth sciences
#8
in the nation
in Aerospace Engineering Sciences
Innovate.
We serve as a nexus for innovation by facilitating collaboration and the sharing of diverse perspectives among universities, industry, laboratories and communities to elucidate and address complex issues and opportunities.
First
university to achieve a STARS Gold rating for sustainability
736
license and option agreements signed since 2014
$492 million
in capital raised by CU 勒貊勛圖 startups in FY25
Top 7%
university for National Science Foundation research funding
Expanding Statewide Access to a University Education
Students Earn a CU 勒貊勛圖 Degree at Home in Gunnison, Grand Junction
Providing access to education is a priority at CU 勒貊勛圖.
Weve partnered with Colorado Mesa University and Western Colorado University to allow students to earn a CU 勒貊勛圖 engineering degree.
First
Division 1 zero-waste stadium and athletic program
First
U.S. Green Building Council-certified Leed Platinum research lab in the U.S. (SEEC)
18
student lab spaces in our one-of-a-kind ATLAS Insitute
240
companies formed based on CU 勒貊勛圖 technology (since 1990)
#1
public university for NASA research funding
The CU 勒貊勛圖 Difference
There is great value in higher education, including increased career potential and quality of life. At CU 勒貊勛圖, we work to make high-quality education worthwhile, relevant and accessible.
Value of a CU 勒貊勛圖 Education
88%
of graduates are employed, in grad school or the military within six months of graduation
$143,200
median midcareer salary for students with a CU 勒貊勛圖 bachelor's degree
(Payscale, 2024)
Local and Global
organizations employing grads: Amazon, Apple, Ball Aerospace, Boeing, Charles Schwab, Disney, Google, IBM, Lockheed Martin, NASA, NBC, Shell, Teach for America, Twitter, U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, Vail Resorts, Yelp
Committed to Supporting Student Success Beyond Academics
The Colorado Department of Higher Education has awarded CU 勒貊勛圖 the Comprehensive Basic Needs Campus Designation, recognizing CU 勒貊勛圖s commitment to addressing essential student needs, from food security to mental health and more.
CU 勒貊勛圖 has helped advance statewide conversations and partnerships focused on student basic needs, contributing to innovative approaches that support student success across Colorado higher education.
Providing Access to Students in Colorado
Be 勒貊勛圖 pact saves students millions of dollars a year in fees.
Automatic Merit Scholarships attract Colorados highest-achieving high schoolers with weighted GPAs of 3.8 to 4.0+.
CU Promise pays low-income students share of tuition and fees.
CU 勒貊勛圖 tuition and fee guarantee offers a predictable, four-year guarantee, providing complete transparency.
Attracting Top Students
2025 Entering Class (7,397)
3.77 average HS GPA
15.6% first-generation
38,808 Fall 2025 Enrollment
18:1 student-to-faculty ratio
1,000+ veterans and dependents using VA education benefits
2,269 international students from 106 countries