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2026 Best Value Environmental Engineering Schools in Colorado

3 Colleges in the United States
$24,830 Avg Student Debt
$69,927 Avg Median Earnings (10yr)
2026 Best Value Environmental Engineering Badge [Environmental Engineering](/majors/engineering/environmental-engineering/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.

For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 4 schools to find the best return on investment for environmental engineering students.

What’s on this page:

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2026 Best Value Environmental Engineering Schools in Colorado

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

Best Value Environmental Engineering Schools

1

Leading the list is Metropolitan State College Of Denver, our #1 best value for environmental engineering in Colorado. Metropolitan State College Of Denver is a very large public school located in the city of Denver. In-state tuition and fees average $11,124, with out-of-state students paying around $30,684. Students borrow a median of $27,484 to complete the environmental engineering program here. Early-career environmental engineering graduates make about $44,861. Set against $27,484 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 99%.

2

Colorado State University Fort Collins came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value environmental engineering schools. Colorado State University Fort Collins is a very large public school located in the city of Fort Collins. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,373, while out-of-state students pay about $35,061. Typical student debt for environmental engineering graduates is $27,500. Soon after graduation, environmental engineering degree recipients from Colorado State University Fort Collins generally make around $66,109. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 88%.

3

University Of Colorado Boulder came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value environmental engineering schools. Set in the city of Boulder, University Of Colorado Boulder is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,214, while out-of-state students pay about $42,970. Typical student debt for environmental engineering graduates is $20,836. Early-career environmental engineering graduates make about $63,049. Set against $20,836 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 78%.

4

Students looking for strong value in environmental engineering will find it at Colorado School Of Mines, which ranked #4. Located in the suburb of Golden, Colorado School Of Mines is a moderately-sized public university. In-state tuition and fees average $21,914, compared with $45,824 for out-of-state students. Environmental Engineering graduates carry a median of $23,500 in student loans. Soon after graduation, environmental engineering degree recipients from Colorado School Of Mines generally make around $69,102. Set against $23,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 61% of applicants are accepted.

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Notes and References

This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, 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 3 ranked schools only.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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