<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0202</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2007-09-14</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000102426</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>BOULDER GROWTH &amp; INCOME FUND</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>BIF</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001091477</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>ERNEST HOREJSI TRUST NO 1B</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>3601 C STREET, STE 100</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>ANCHORAGE</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>AK</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>99503</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001246903</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>HOREJSI STEWART R</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>200 SOUTH SANTA FE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>SALINA</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>KS</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>67401</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001245558</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>CICIORA SUSAN L</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>2344 SPRUCE STREET, STE A</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>BOULDER</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>CO</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>80302</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2007-09-14</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>X</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F2"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>38271</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>8.67</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>2414182</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2007-09-14</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>X</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F3"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>753667</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>8.67</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>3167849</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Subscription Rights (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>8.67</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2007-09-14</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>X</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>114813</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2007-08-15</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2007-09-14</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>38271</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>2261103</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Subscription Rights (right to buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>8.67</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2007-09-14</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>X</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionTimeliness>
                <value></value>
            </transactionTimeliness>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>2261001</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <value>2007-08-15</value>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2007-09-14</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>753667</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>102</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The trustees of the Ernest Horejsi Trust No. 1B (the &quot;Ernest Trust&quot;) are Badlands Trust Company LLC (&quot;Badlands&quot;), Susan L. Ciciora and Larry Dunlap.  Such trustees may be deemed to control the Ernest Trust and may be deemed to possess indirect beneficial ownership of the Shares held by the Ernest Trust.  However, none of the trustees, acting alone, can vote or exercise dispositive authority over Shares held by the Ernest Trust.  Accordingly, Badlands, Ms. Ciciora and Mr. Dunlap disclaim beneficial ownership of the Shares beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, by the Ernest Trust.  In addition to serving as a trustee, Ms. Ciciora is also a beneficiary of the Ernest Trust.

As a result of his advisory role with the Ernest Trust, Stewart R. Horejsi may be deemed to have indirect beneficial ownership of the Shares directly beneficially owned by the Ernest Trust.  However, Mr. Horejsi disclaims such beneficial ownership of the Shares directly beneficially held by the Ernest Trust.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The shares listed under Item 4 were acquired through subscription in the Boulder Growth &amp; Income Fund, Inc.'s 1-for-3 rights offering.  Shares of common stock issued pursuant to the exercise of 114,813 rights.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F3">The shares listed under Item 4 were acquired through subscription in the Boulder Growth &amp; Income Fund, Inc.'s 1-for-3 rights offering.  Shares of common stock issued pursuant to the exercise of 2,261,001 rights.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Stephen C. Miller, President, Badlands Trust Company LLC, trustee of the Ernest Horejsi Trust No. 1B</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2007-09-18</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Stewart R. Horejsi</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2007-09-18</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Susan L. Ciciora</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2007-09-18</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
