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

Engineering & Applied Physics is a field worth a close look when choosing where to study. While the number of schools offering the program varies, there are still top-quality ones to be found.

For its 2026 ranking, College Factual looked at 4 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for engineering & applied physics students pursuing a degree.

What’s on this page:

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

Best Schools for Engineering & Applied Physics in the Rocky Mountains Region

If you are not interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the engineering & applied physics degrees they offer, see the list below.

Top Schools in Engineering & Applied Physics

1

University Of Colorado Boulder
Boulder, CO

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

23 Engineering & Applied Physics Degrees Awarded

$55,861 Median Starting Salary

University Of Colorado Boulder is one of the finest schools in the country for getting a degree in engineering & applied physics. Set in the city of Boulder, University Of Colorado Boulder is a very large public institution. About 74% of students finish within six years. University Of Colorado Boulder awarded about 23 engineering & applied physics degrees in the most recent data year. Engineering & Applied Physics graduates of University Of Colorado Boulder earn a median of $55,861 early in their careers. Typical student debt for the program is $20,373. See the full engineering & applied physics program report for University Of Colorado Boulder

2

Colorado School Of Mines
Golden, CO

Doctoral Degree Highest Degree Type

83 Engineering & Applied Physics Degrees Awarded

$72,858 Median Starting Salary

Colorado School Of Mines came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best engineering & applied physics schools. This moderately-sized public university is located in the suburb of Golden. The six-year graduation rate is 82%. About 83 engineering & applied physics degrees were awarded at Colorado School Of Mines in the most recent year. Graduates of the engineering & applied physics program make about $72,858 in their early career. Colorado School Of Mines graduates carry a median of $21,500 in student loans. Read more about the engineering & applied physics program at Colorado School Of Mines

Notes and References

The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs graduation rate, post-graduation earnings, cost, and program quality, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Top Ranked · 4 schools evaluated.

• 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.