At $29,240/yr net price, Colorado School of Mines graduates earn $97,335/yr within 10 years of enrollment, which is $63,335/yr above the median for high school graduates.
Cost vs. Outcomes
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Average Net Price (per year) | $29,240 |
| Estimated 4-Year Cost | $116,960 |
| Median Earnings (10yr post-entry) | $97,335/yr |
| Earnings Premium vs. HS Diploma | +$63,335/yr |
| Estimated Break-Even | 1.8 years |
| Graduation Rate (6-year) | 79.4% |
| Median Debt at Graduation | $23,000 |
What You'll Actually Pay
Average net price by family income
| Family Income | Estimated Net Price |
|---|---|
| $0 - $30,000 | $19,231/yr |
| $30,001 - $48,000 | $19,616/yr |
| $48,001 - $75,000 | $25,347/yr |
| $75,001 - $110,000 | $30,370/yr |
| $110,001+ | $33,931/yr |
Earnings by Major
Top programs ranked by median earnings
| Program | Level | Median Earnings | Median Debt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Science. | Master | $91,744 | $20,500 |
| Economics. | Master | $80,336 | |
| Computer Science. | Bachelor | $78,971 | $22,500 |
| Engineering-Related Fields. | Master | $77,966 | $23,150 |
| Geological/Geophysical Engineering. | Master | $77,715 | |
| Mining and Mineral Engineering. | Bachelor | $77,715 | |
| Petroleum Engineering. | Bachelor | $77,213 | $26,500 |
| Mining and Mineral Engineering. | Master | $76,460 | |
| Mechanical Engineering. | Master | $73,949 | $30,500 |
| Mathematics. | Bachelor | $71,854 |
The Risk Factor
79.4% of students at Colorado School of Mines graduate within 6 years. A significant share of students finish, but roughly 21% do not complete their degree.
Analysis
Colorado School of Mines pays off, and the numbers are unusually clean about it. Your median earnings ten years out sit near six figures against a median debt of $23,000, so you're clearing more in a single year than you borrowed for the whole degree. That ratio is rare, and it holds because Mines is a specialized engineering and science school, not a general campus with a few strong departments propping up weak ones.
Every top program here is an engineering or quantitative track, and they cluster tightly in earnings. Computer science leads, and petroleum and mining engineering follow close behind. That's the specific bet Mines asks you to make: it feeds the energy, mining, and tech sectors, and those are the fields that pay. Petroleum engineering carries the heaviest debt load of the listed programs, so if you take that path, weigh how tied your paycheck will be to oil and gas prices. Mining and petroleum both ride commodity cycles, and a downturn can hit hiring in exactly the specialties Mines trains you for.
The 93% retention rate and 79% graduation rate matter financially. If you enroll, you're likely to finish, and finishing is what turns tuition into earnings. Dropping out of an engineering school with debt and no degree is the main way this bet goes wrong.
The net price tiers are steep at the top. If your family earns under $48k, you pay around $19,600, roughly $14,000 less per year than families over $110k. If you're coming in under $30k, that's the tier where Mines makes the most sense financially.
This school fits you if you want to do engineering, computing, or applied math and will finish. If you're unsure about a technical major, look elsewhere, because Mines has no cheap liberal-arts fallback here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Colorado School of Mines worth the high tuition cost?
Yes, for most students. With median debt of $23,000 and average earnings of $97,335 ten years after graduation, graduates typically pay off their loans quickly. The strong return on investment comes from high-demand engineering and computer science programs.
What makes Colorado School of Mines graduates earn more than other colleges?
The school focuses almost exclusively on engineering, computer science, and applied sciences - fields that command high starting salaries. Computer science graduates average over $91,000, while even lower-paying majors like geological engineering still earn around $77,000.
How much debt do Colorado School of Mines students typically graduate with?
The median debt is $23,000, which is manageable given graduate earning potential. Most students can pay this off within a few years of graduation given the average $97,000 salary.
Are all programs at Colorado School of Mines financially worth it?
Most programs offer strong returns, but some pay significantly better than others. Computer science leads at over $91,000, while engineering-related fields average around $78,000. Even the lower-paying programs still offer solid career prospects in growing industries.