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2026 Best Value Engineering & Applied Physics Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region

[Engineering & Applied Physics](/majors/engineering/engineering-physics/engineering-applied-physics/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.

To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 4 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for engineering & applied physics students.

What’s on this page:

• Best Value Engineering & Applied Physics Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region

2026 Best Value Engineering & Applied Physics Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in engineering & applied physics, balancing cost against outcomes.

Best Value Engineering & Applied Physics Schools

1

University Of Colorado Boulder
Boulder, CO

$15,214 In-State Tuition & Fees

$20,373 Avg Student Debt

$69,738 Median Earnings (10yr)

University Of Colorado Boulder tops our 2026 list of the best value engineering & applied physics schools in the Rocky Mountains Region. Set in the city of Boulder, University Of Colorado Boulder is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $15,214 in tuition and fees, compared with $42,970 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for engineering & applied physics graduates is $20,373. Soon after graduation, engineering & applied physics degree recipients from University Of Colorado Boulder generally make around $55,861. That is a strong return on a $20,373 median debt. Roughly 78% of applicants are accepted.

2

Colorado School Of Mines
Golden, CO

$21,914 In-State Tuition & Fees

$21,500 Avg Student Debt

$97,335 Median Earnings (10yr)

Colorado School Of Mines came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value engineering & applied physics schools. Located in the suburb of Golden, Colorado School Of Mines is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $21,914, with out-of-state students paying around $45,824. Engineering & Applied Physics graduates carry a median of $21,500 in student loans. Early-career engineering & applied physics graduates make about $72,858. Set against $21,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 61% of applicants are accepted.

View All Engineering & Applied Physics Rankings >

Notes and References

This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 4 schools evaluated.

*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 ranked schools only.

• The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
• Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).

More about our data sources and methodologies.