Best value colleges for Mechanical Engineering in Colorado.2026 Rankings
Colorado is home to 10 accredited institutions offering Mechanical Engineering programs — from large public research universities to small private liberal arts colleges. This ranking evaluates each school on admission selectivity, four-year graduation rate, net price, and graduate earnings to surface the programs that deliver the strongest outcomes.
Among the schools listed here, United States Air Force Academy is the most selective, admitting 14% of applicants. Average in-state tuition across this group sits at $17,719, while out-of-state students can expect to pay around $33,241. Median early-career earnings for Mechanical Engineering graduates in this state average $50,312 per year, and the average four-year graduation rate among ranked programs is 59%.
Not sure if your profile matches these schools?
Looking at schools in Colorado is a great start — but knowing whether your GPA, test scores, and activities match what these programs actually admit takes a deeper look.
Drop your application data into our Free Application Review. Our AI will analyze your admission chances and stats in 2 minutes. Get practical next steps for improvements where it matters most.
Get My Free Application Review →Mechanical Engineering Programs in Colorado
ranked by value score
| # | College | Value Score | Admit Rate | Grad Rate | Net Price | Median Earnings | Student:Faculty | Majors Offered | Size |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colorado School of MinesPublic | Great· 41 | 60% | 79% | $25,347 | $74,145 | 17:1 | 20 | 5,801 |
| 2 | University of DenverPrivate | Great· 38 | 71% | 78% | $28,981 | $65,014 | 10:1 | 60 | 6,059 |
| 3 | Strong· 36 | 83% | 75% | $17,204 | $66,089 | 19:1 | 64 | 31,578 | |
| 4 | Strong· 34 | 14% | 88% | — | — | 7:1 | 36 | 4,124 | |
| 5 | Colorado Mesa UniversityPublic | Good· 32 | 81% | 42% | $15,061 | $49,827 | 18:1 | 40 | 7,604 |
| 6 | Good· 32 | 90% | 67% | $14,611 | $60,720 | 17:1 | 78 | 25,148 | |
| 7 | Good· 32 | 99% | 30% | $13,276 | $72,334 | 14:1 | 70 | 14,932 | |
| 8 | Good· 31 | 100% | 38% | $13,322 | $42,707 | 16:1 | 34 | 3,028 | |
| 9 | Good· 31 | 97% | 45% | $14,717 | $70,440 | 15:1 | 40 | 8,870 | |
| 10 | Good· 31 | 78% | 47% | $19,871 | $70,763 | 16:1 | 44 | 10,686 |