Outcomes
Strong post-grad earnings
Median earnings 10 yrs out are above the graduate average.
This school$97.3k
National avg$48k
Source: IPEDS 2024
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University public Verified data
Colorado School of Mines
Golden, CO
Colorado School of Mines at a glance
Colorado School of Mines is a public university in Golden, Colorado with 8,044 students (IPEDS, fall 2024 enrollment). It admitted 61% of applicants (IPEDS, applicants for fall 2024). Its published in-state tuition is $21,914 (IPEDS, charges for academic year 2024-25); students who received federal aid paid an average net price of $28,690 a year after grants (College Scorecard, a prior cohort). 82% of students finish within the federal tracking window (IPEDS, Graduation Rates 2024 collection: 4-year cohort 2018, 2-year cohort 2021); 32% of students take federal loans, and borrowers leave with a median $23,000 (College Scorecard). By program, the highest graduate earnings four years after finishing are in Computer Science, bachelor's ($127,217) and Engineering-Related Fields, master's ($123,855) (College Scorecard, 2017-19 graduates).
Tuition
$21,914
2024-25
Acceptance
61%
Fall 2024 applicants
Students
8,044
Fall 2024
Type
University
Setting
Suburban
Cost & Financial Aid
In-State Tuition
$21,914
Out-of-State Tuition
$45,824
Avg On-Campus Living
$17,531
Avg Off-Campus Living
$16,785
Financial Aid & Outcomes
College Scorecard
What will it actually cost?
Sticker price: $39,445
Net price (after aid): $28,690
Most students pay the net price after financial aid, not the sticker price.
Net price by family income
$0 – $30k: $16,849
$30k – $48k: $18,162
$48k – $75k: $22,192
$75k – $110k: $28,183 (above the federal borrowing ceiling)
$110k+: $35,112 (above the federal borrowing ceiling)
Can federal loans cover it? (2026 limits)
For families earning $75k – $110k, $110k+, the average net price here is above the $25,500 a first-year dependent student and their parents can borrow federally from 1 July 2026, by up to $9,612. That part has to come from savings, income, work, or private loans.
The ceiling is $5,500 in the student’s own Direct Loan plus up to $20,000 in Parent PLUS, which requires that the parent has no adverse credit history. Net prices are averages for a prior cohort of aid recipients, not a quote. Source: Federal Student Aid loan limits. Where this gap is largest.
After graduation
Median earnings (10yr): $97,335
Median debt at graduation: $23,000
Est. monthly loan payment: $244
Earnings-to-debt ratio
Strong · 4.2×Graduates earn about 4.2× their median debt every year.
Financial access
Students on Pell Grants: 14%
Pell Grants are federal aid for students from low-income families.
Students with federal loans: 32%
Share of students who borrowed to pay for school.
Some fields may not be reported by this institution. Verify final details with the school directly.
How does cost line up with outcomes across colleges? See our analysis of college cost vs. graduation and earnings, an association shaped by selectivity and sector, not proof a pricier college pays off.
FAFSA earnings check
: Not flaggedColorado School of Mines does not trigger the FAFSA's "lower earnings" notice. Its graduates' median earnings four years after completing were $105,724, above the $39,622 median for high school graduates aged 25 to 34 in Colorado.
This is one figure for the whole institution, not for any program: earnings differ by credential and field. It covers graduates who completed in 2017-18 and 2018-19, received federal aid, and were working and not enrolled when earnings were measured in 2022 and 2023, in January 2026 dollars. The Department says the notice is informational only: it does not change aid eligibility. Source: U.S. Department of Education, FSA Data Center, March 2026 release. Which colleges are flagged, and what changed.
Student Outcomes
Graduation Rate
82%
Freshman Retention
93%
Source: IPEDS, charges for academic year 2024-25 (provisional release)
Final aid offers, scholarships, and net price vary per family. Always verify with the school's financial aid office.
Scholarships available
Decision support · Cost & value
Quick Decision Highlights
The strongest cost, aid, and value reasons to consider this school.
Strong completion rate
82% above avg
Strong year-1 retention
93% above avg
Scholarships available
Aid signal
Affordability snapshot
In-state tuition
$21.9k
Out-of-state
$45.8k
Net price
$28.7k
Pell
14%
Median debt
$23k
below avg
Earnings (10y)
$97.3k
above avg
“Avg” comparisons reference national IPEDS / College Scorecard averages (~2022–23); figures are directional and vary by school and year.
Admissions
Acceptance rate
61%
SAT range
1320 - 1480
ACT range
29 - 33
Source: IPEDS, applicants for fall 2024 (provisional release)
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Location
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UniversitiesCommunity Colleges1 school
Institution does not report this
Golden, CO 80401
Academics
Studying online: a small share study entirely online
In Fall 2023, 223 of Colorado School of Mines's 7,599 students (3%) were enrolled entirely at a distance. A further 499 (7%) took at least one distance course alongside in-person study.
Distance-education figures count STUDENTS enrolled in Fall 2023, not programs on offer. "Exclusively at a distance" means a student took only distance courses that term. A college with few or no such students may still run online courses or an online degree, so a low figure is not evidence that online study is unavailable, and a high one is not a judgement of quality either way.
U.S. Department of Education, IPEDS Fall Enrollment (distance education status), Fall 2023
Fields of study
Colorado School of Mines reported conferring credentials in 31 different fields to the federal government. See which ones, and at what credential level.
Campus & Student Life
Area Safety Rating
Decision support
Similar schools
Worth a closer look if Colorado School of Mines caught your interest.
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Tuition $4,902 Open admissionSame state. Lower-cost option. Similar size.Pueblo Community College
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Tuition $5,049 Open admissionSame state. Lower-cost option. Similar size.
Graduate earnings by program
What Colorado School of Mines graduates earn, by program
Colorado School of Mines's bachelor's graduates in Mechanical Engineering earned a median $97,087 four years after graduating, 5% above the $92,135 national median for the same program (2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23, College Scorecard). One year after graduating, a later class (2018-20 graduates, measured 2020-21) earned a median $74,145; the two figures describe different graduates, not one class's growth. Graduates who borrowed took out a median $23,000 in federal loans at this college (about $244 a month on a 10-year plan), and had $25,000 in total federal debt including other colleges attended (same degree level).
19 programs at Colorado School of Mines have federal earnings or debt figures, largest graduating classes first. Earnings: graduates of 2017-18 and 2018-19, earnings measured in 2022 and 2023, in 2024 dollars. Debt: graduates of 2018-19 and 2019-20. The national median is the same measure for every program in that field and credential in the U.S.
| Program | Median earnings, 4 yrs after | National median | Federal debt borrowed at this college (median) | Payment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mechanical Engineering, Bachelor's | $97,087 | $92,135, +5% | $23,000 | $244/mo |
| Computer Science, Bachelor's | $127,217 | $107,009, +19% | $22,500 | $239/mo |
| Chemical Engineering, Bachelor's | $94,598 | $98,158, −4% | $26,798 | $284/mo |
| Electrical Engineering, Bachelor's | $106,012 | $100,647, +5% | $21,500 | $228/mo |
| Civil Engineering, Bachelor's | $94,228 | $86,517, +9% | $23,402 | $248/mo |
| Petroleum Engineering, Bachelor's | $116,691 | $104,823, +11% | $26,500 | $281/mo |
| Geological/Geophysical Engineering, Bachelor's | $88,484 | $77,880, +14% | $27,000 | $286/mo |
| Computer Science, Master's | $147,702 | $145,571, about the same | $20,500 | $233/mo |
| Metallurgical Engineering, Bachelor's | $94,902 | $92,722, about the same | $25,745 | $273/mo |
| Mechanical Engineering, Master's | $115,085 | $115,974, about the same | $30,500 | $347/mo |
| Engineering Physics, Bachelor's | $97,497 | $89,154, +9% | $21,500 | $228/mo |
| Engineering-Related Fields, Master's | $123,855 | $125,651, about the same | $23,150 | $263/mo |
Compare what Mechanical Engineering pays at other colleges
What the job pays locally
- Mechanical Engineering graduates train as mechanical engineers: median $124,430 in Colorado.
- Chemical Engineering graduates train as chemical engineers: median $125,800 in Colorado.
- Electrical Engineering graduates train as electrical engineers: median $120,760 in Colorado.
- Civil Engineering graduates train as civil engineers: median $101,420 in Colorado.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025: everyone working in the job, every experience level, not only recent graduates.
Show 7 more programs
| Program | Median earnings, 4 yrs after | National median | Federal debt borrowed at this college (median) | Payment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Applied Mathematics, Bachelor's | $98,190 | $91,532, +7% | $21,500 | $228/mo |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences, Master's | $109,407 | $79,463, +38% | — | — |
| Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering, Bachelor's | $87,278 | $81,171, +8% | $23,250 | $246/mo |
| Civil Engineering, Master's | $93,132 | $98,323, −5% | — | — |
| Geological/Geophysical Engineering, Master's | $102,007 | $94,646, +8% | — | — |
| Mining and Mineral Engineering, Bachelor's | $109,695 | $101,390, +8% | — | — |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering, Bachelor's | $95,142 | $93,451, about the same | $23,370 | $248/mo |
Median earnings of graduates who received federal student aid, worked, and were not enrolled in school; debt is the median federal loans borrowed at this college by graduates who borrowed (Direct Subsidized, Unsubsidized and Grad PLUS; not Parent PLUS, private loans or interest). Programs with too few graduates are suppressed by the Department of Education. Monthly payment assumes a standard 10-year plan. Source: U.S. Department of Education, College Scorecard, field-of-study data, 10 June 2026. Download every program (CSV). Same degree, different paycheck: what the national data show. Over the Cap: graduate programs where typical debt exceeds the federal loan limits in force since July 2026.
Frequently asked questions
About Colorado School of Mines
Built from CampusPin profile data. Always verify final admissions, cost, financial aid, and program details with the institution before applying. See our data methodology and data dictionary.
- Where is Colorado School of Mines located?
- Colorado School of Mines is located in Golden, CO, in the United States.
- What type of institution is Colorado School of Mines?
- Colorado School of Mines is a public university based in CO. CampusPin classifies institutions as either four-year universities or two-year community colleges, with control labeled public or private.
- What is the acceptance rate at Colorado School of Mines?
- The most recently reported acceptance rate at Colorado School of Mines is approximately 61% (IPEDS, applicants for fall 2024). Acceptance rate signals selectivity but does not predict any individual applicant's outcome and is not a measure of school quality. CampusPin reports the federally-published value; verify the current cycle with the institution.
- What is the tuition at Colorado School of Mines?
- Colorado School of Mines's published in-state tuition is approximately $21,914 per year (IPEDS, charges for academic year 2024-25). This is the published price before financial aid; the net price most students actually pay is typically lower. Verify the current academic-year tuition with the institution before applying.
- How many students attend Colorado School of Mines?
- Colorado School of Mines reports total enrollment of approximately 8,044 students (undergraduate plus graduate) (IPEDS, fall 2024 enrollment). Total enrollment is a useful sizing signal, see the institutional profile for additional breakdowns when available.
- How much does Colorado School of Mines actually cost after financial aid?
- The average net price at Colorado School of Mines is approximately $28,690 per year. Net price is the total cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships that never have to be repaid, so it is what students actually paid rather than the published sticker price. What families pay varies with income: students from families earning under $30,000 paid about $16,849 on average, and those from families earning $110,000 or more about $35,112. These are averages for students who received federal aid in a prior cohort, not a quote for any individual family. Run the institution's own Net Price Calculator for a figure specific to you.
- What is the graduation rate at Colorado School of Mines?
- Colorado School of Mines reports a graduation rate of approximately 82% (IPEDS, Graduation Rates 2024 collection: 4-year cohort 2018, 2-year cohort 2021). This measures the share of a prior entering cohort who completed their degree within the federal tracking window. It reflects who enrolls as much as what the institution does, so it is not on its own a measure of teaching quality, and it is not comparable across institutions serving very different students.
- How much student debt do graduates of Colorado School of Mines have?
- Students who borrowed at Colorado School of Mines left with a median of approximately $23,000 in federal loans, and about 32% of students took federal loans at all. Both numbers matter: a median describes only the students who borrowed, so it reads very differently at a school where most students borrow than at one where few do. Federal loans only, so private and parent borrowing are not included.
- How much do graduates of Colorado School of Mines earn?
- Median earnings approximately ten years after entry are $97,335 for students who received federal financial aid at Colorado School of Mines. This reflects the mix of programs the institution offers and the students who enroll, not the effect of attending, and it covers aid recipients rather than all graduates.
- How should I verify final details about Colorado School of Mines?
- CampusPin compiles institutional data from public datasets like IPEDS and the College Scorecard, plus institutional websites and editorial review. Before applying, paying a deposit, or making a final decision, confirm admissions requirements, current tuition, financial aid, deadlines, and program details directly with Colorado School of Mines.
- How much do Mechanical Engineering graduates from Colorado School of Mines earn?
- Colorado School of Mines's bachelor's graduates in Mechanical Engineering earned a median $97,087 four years after graduating, 5% above the $92,135 national median for the same program (2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23, College Scorecard). One year after graduating, a later class (2018-20 graduates, measured 2020-21) earned a median $74,145; the two figures describe different graduates, not one class's growth. Graduates who borrowed took out a median $23,000 in federal loans at this college (about $244 a month on a 10-year plan), and had $25,000 in total federal debt including other colleges attended (same degree level). For context, mechanical engineers in Colorado are paid a median $124,430 a year across all experience levels (BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025), a figure for everyone in the job, not only recent graduates.
- How much do Computer Science graduates from Colorado School of Mines earn?
- Colorado School of Mines's bachelor's graduates in Computer Science earned a median $127,217 four years after graduating, 19% above the $107,009 national median for the same program (2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23, College Scorecard). One year after graduating, a later class (2018-20 graduates, measured 2020-21) earned a median $86,268; the two figures describe different graduates, not one class's growth. Graduates who borrowed took out a median $22,500 in federal loans at this college (about $239 a month on a 10-year plan).
- Which programs at Colorado School of Mines have the highest graduate earnings?
- Among the 13 programs at Colorado School of Mines with a federal earnings figure from at least 30 graduates, the highest medians four years after graduating were Computer Science, bachelor's ($127,217); Engineering-Related Fields, master's ($123,855); and Petroleum Engineering, bachelor's ($116,691) (2017-19 graduates, measured 2022-23, College Scorecard). That order is one federal measure, not a ranking of program quality: earnings reflect the field and where graduates go to work as well as the program.
- Does Colorado School of Mines get a "lower earnings" warning on the FAFSA?
- No. In the Department of Education's March 2026 data, which the FAFSA uses now, Colorado School of Mines's graduates' median earnings four years after completing were $105,724, above the $39,622 median for high school graduates aged 25 to 34 in Colorado, so first-year students who list it do not see the lower-earnings notice. The figure describes the whole institution, not any one program.
Fields this college awarded credentials in
The 14 largest of 31 fields Colorado School of Mines reported, by credentials conferred in 2024-25, using the federal classification of each field. The level is the highest credential actually awarded, which is not always the one a field is best known for.
| Field | Awarded | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Mechanical Engineering | 435 | Graduate (80 graduate · 355 bachelor's) |
| Computer Science | 379 | Graduate (90 graduate · 289 bachelor's) |
| Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering | 164 | Graduate (34 graduate · 130 bachelor's) |
| Chemical Engineering | 138 | Graduate (22 graduate · 116 bachelor's) |
| Civil Engineering | 124 | Graduate (42 graduate · 82 bachelor's) |
| Biological/Biosystems Engineering | 79 | Graduate (13 graduate · 66 bachelor's) |
| Geological/Geophysical Engineering | 74 | Graduate (26 graduate · 48 bachelor's) |
| Applied Mathematics | 69 | Graduate (23 graduate · 46 bachelor's) |
| Engineering Physics | 68 | Graduate (17 graduate · 51 bachelor's) |
| Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering | 63 | Graduate (21 graduate · 42 bachelor's) |
| Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences | 62 | Graduate |
| Systems Engineering | 62 | Graduate |
| Metallurgical Engineering | 58 | Graduate (22 graduate · 36 bachelor's) |
| Engineering-Related Fields | 57 | Graduate |
Fields are as classified in the federal IPEDS completions collection, which records credentials already conferred. A field listed here was awarded in the reporting year; it does not confirm the program is currently admitting students, and a field CampusPin has no guide for is still shown under its official federal title. Confirm current offerings with the institution.
Explore more
Compare colleges side by side. All colleges in Colorado. Colorado college costs by family income. Student debt at Colorado colleges. Computer science in Colorado. Business major guide. Nursing in Colorado. Psychology in Colorado. Engineering in Colorado.
Always verify final admissions, cost, financial aid, and program details with Colorado School of Mines before applying.
Data sources & methodology
Reporting period: 2024. Last verified: June 10, 2026.
Facts on this profile of Colorado School of Mines are compiled from federal datasets and the institution's own published information.
Sources used across this page
Not every source informs every figure. Each data point draws on the source appropriate to it see the relevant section and the data dictionary for field-level provenance.
IPEDS / NCES College Navigator
Federal enrollment, admissions, tuition, retention, and program data. Released annually with a 1–2 year lag.
U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard
Net price by income band, post-graduation earnings, and federal aid context.
Clery Act campus security reports
Annual campus security and fire-safety disclosures required of U.S. institutions.
Institutional websites
Each school's official admissions, registrar, and financial-aid pages are the authoritative source for current details.
Where a value is unavailable it is shown as unavailable, never as 0, free, or a negative judgment. Always confirm final details with the institution before applying.
Suggested citation
CampusPin. (2024). Colorado School of Mines, college profile. Retrieved from https://campuspin.com/schools/colorado-school-of-mines
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