National university
#3 Best colleges for NCAA Division II athletes in AmericaColorado School of Mines
Golden, CO · Public · 4-year
Your real cost
Average price after aid About $29,000 a year
Median debt at graduation: $23,000 (all students)
Estimate your own price · the college’s net price calculator
Upcoming admissions events
- Discover Mines – OctoberOctober 31, 2026 · 9:00 AM–2:00 PM · Green Center at Colorado School of MinesJoin us on campus to get all your questions answered before you apply, make connections and learn about what makes Mines unique!More about Discover Mines – OctoberAdd to calendar
- Discover Mines – NovemberNovember 21, 2026 · 9:00 AM–2:00 PM · Green Center at Colorado School of MinesJoin us on campus to get all your questions answered before you apply, make connections and learn about what makes Mines unique!More about Discover Mines – NovemberAdd to calendar
View all upcoming events · From the college's admissions website.
Rankings
Where this college places on our top lists. Lists are worked out from official data and our own research; places in the top quarter of each list are shown. See every list
In America
- Best colleges for NCAA Division II athletes in America#3 of 292
- Best colleges in America#159 of 1,829
- Best test-optional colleges in America#138 of 1,481
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in America#179 of 1,829
- Colleges that pay for themselves fastest in America#62 of 598
- Best colleges for mathematics in America#133 of 1,215
Show 8 more
- Best mid-size colleges in America#74 of 667
- Best colleges for chemistry in America#132 of 1,162
- Best colleges for computer science in America#89 of 750
- Best colleges for engineering in America#102 of 749
- Best colleges for economics in America#129 of 788
- Colleges where the most freshmen return in America#127 of 693
- Colleges with the best earnings for the price in America#154 of 681
- Colleges that spend the most on teaching in America#173 of 704
In Colorado
- Best colleges for NCAA Division II athletes in Colorado#1 of 10
- Best colleges in Colorado#3 of 26
- Colleges with the highest graduation rates in Colorado#3 of 26
- Best test-optional colleges in Colorado#2 of 16
- Best colleges for engineering in Colorado#2 of 13
- Best colleges for chemistry in Colorado#3 of 16
Academic Excellence
Each measure counts for the share shown.
- Graduation rate 35% of scoreThis measure counts for 35% of the Academic Excellence score.82%
- First-year retention 20% of scoreThis measure counts for 20% of the Academic Excellence score.93%
- Entering students' test scores 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.SAT 1,412 · ACT 31
- Student-to-faculty ratio 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.18 to 1
- Instructional spending per student 15% of scoreThis measure counts for 15% of the Academic Excellence score.$20,431
Bars show points on each measure’s scale. How Academic Excellence is computed.
Source: College Scorecard (College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026))
What families pay, by income
Average paid by families who received aid, by income. Families who get no aid pay the full cost of attendance: $40,560 a year.
| Family income | Price after aid |
|---|---|
| Up to $30,000 | |
| $30,001–$48,000 | |
| $48,001–$75,000 | |
| $75,001–$110,000 | |
| Over $110,000 |
Use the college’s net price calculator for your own estimate.
Cost and value
Federal data: what families pay after aid, what graduates earn, and what they owe.
| Undergraduate students Fall enrollment (IPEDS) | 5,839 |
|---|---|
| Men and women College Scorecard, fall 2023 | Men 68% · Women 32% |
| First-generation students College Scorecard | 15% |
| First-year students from another state IPEDS, fall 2023 | 49% |
| Total students | 7,599 |
| Average net price (per year) After grants and scholarships, for students receiving federal aid | About $29,000 |
| Cost of attendance (per year) | $40,560 |
| Median federal debt at graduation | $23,000 |
| Graduation rate First-time, full-time students finishing within 150% of normal time | 82% |
| Graduation rate for Pell grant recipients College Scorecard, within 6 years | 80% |
| Graduation rate for first-generation students College Scorecard, within 6 years | 79% |
| Borrowers paying down their loans within 3 years College Scorecard, within 3 years | 91% |
| First-year retention | 93% |
| Median earnings 10 years after entry | $97,335 |
| Admission rate | 61% |
| Application fee IPEDS, 2023–24 | $50 |
| Typical rent HUD fair market rent, FY2026 | About $1,754 a month for a one-bedroom |
| Students receiving Pell grants | 14% |
| Average SAT | 1412 |
|---|---|
| SAT reading & writing | 650–730 |
| SAT math | 670–750 |
| ACT composite | 29–33 |
| Test policy | Considered but not required |
Value: Good · Top 46% (how it’s computed)
Sources: College Scorecard · IPEDS College Navigator · Net price calculator
College Scorecard, most recent cohorts (data release 06/10/2026); IPEDS 2024-25 directory and institutional characteristics; fall 2023 enrollment.
Earnings by major
Median earnings of bachelor’s graduates a few years after finishing, by major (College Scorecard).
| Major | Median earnings |
|---|---|
| Computer science | |
| Petroleum Engineering | |
| Mining and Mineral Engineering | |
| Electrical engineering | |
| Applied mathematics | |
| Engineering Physics | |
| Mechanical engineering | |
| Biomedical/Medical Engineering | |
| Metallurgical Engineering | |
| Chemical Engineering | |
| Civil engineering | |
| Geological/Geophysical Engineering | |
| Environmental/Environmental Health Engineering |
Also offered (no earnings published yet): Biochemistry, Biological/Biosystems Engineering, Chemistry, Economics, Engineering (general), Mathematics, Other engineering.
What students study most
Share of bachelor’s degrees by field, first majors in 2023–24 (IPEDS).
| Field | Share of degrees |
|---|---|
| Engineering | |
| Computer and information sciences | |
| Mathematics and statistics | |
| Biology | |
| Physical sciences |
Campus life
| School colors | |
|---|---|
| Setting | Suburb |
| Part-time undergraduates | 4% |
| Undergraduates aged 25 and older | 3% |
| On-campus room and board (per year) | $17,531 |
| Sports | NCAA Division II · Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference |
| ROTC | Army · Air Force |
| Study abroad | Offered |
| Students per faculty member | 18 to 1 |
| Undergraduates registered with the disability office | About 9%IPEDS, 2023–24 |
| Faculty who are full-time | 73%College Scorecard, fall 2023 |
| Endowment per student | $49,135IPEDS, 2023, per student |
| Dorm space | For about 39% of studentsBeds per undergraduate; not who lives on campus |
| Nearest airport with airline service | Denver International Airport (DEN)About 30 miles away · about 50 minutes by car |
| Town population | 20,417Census, 2020–2024 |
| Nearest city of 250,000 people or more | DenverAbout 18 miles away · about 30 minutes by car |
| Typical weather | 34°F in January · 74°F in JulyNOAA, 1991–2020, from Ralston Rsvr, CO, about 5 miles away |
Federal data (IPEDS and College Scorecard), except school colors.
Questions families ask
- What is Colorado School of Mines’s Compass Score?
- Exceptional (grade A). It ranks in the top 9% of rated colleges. The grade comes from outcomes (40%: graduation, retention and earnings), entering students (40%: test scores and selectivity), cost (15%: debt and price after aid) and teaching (5%: class size), all from federal data.
- How much does Colorado School of Mines cost after financial aid?
- The average net price is about $29,000 a year for students who receive federal aid, after grants and scholarships. What your family pays depends on income; the college’s net price calculator gives your own estimate.
- How hard is it to get into Colorado School of Mines?
- Colorado School of Mines admitted 61% of applicants in the most recent federal data.
- How do Colorado School of Mines’s graduates do?
- 82% of first-time, full-time students graduate within six years; the median earnings of former students ten years after entry are $97,335; the median federal debt at graduation is $23,000.
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About this school’s data
- IPEDS unit ID 126775
- Carnegie classification: Doctoral university (very high research)
- Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (U.S. Department of Education DAPIP)
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Colleges like this one
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