Best Economics Programs in Colorado (2026)
Updated
This page ranks the 9 Economics programs in Colorado by median earnings of Economics graduates four years after completing, highest first. Colorado College leads the list with median earnings of $122,998 for its Economics graduates four years after completing.
Across the listed programs, the figures range from $122,998 to $46,087, with a median of $73,319. For 1 of the 9 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.
Public institutions account for 7 of the 9 programs, and private nonprofits for 2. University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus posts the lowest average net price on the list at $11,900.
University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus ranks 130th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colorado College · Colorado Springs, CO | $122,998 | $33,375 | $9,217 | 18.5% |
| Colorado College ranks 1st on this list, reporting $122,998 in median earnings for its Economics graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 2 | University of Denver · Denver, CO | $84,328 | $36,131 | $20,097 | 77.8% |
| University of Denver posts an average net price of $36,131 and a median federal debt of $21,844 across all of the school's borrowers who completed. | |||||
| 3 | Metropolitan State University of Denver · Denver, CO | $80,907 | $15,327 | $12,481 | 98.8% |
| Metropolitan State University of Denver, a public university in Denver, admits 99% of applicants and shows median earnings of $80,907 for its Economics graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 4 | University of Colorado Colorado Springs · Colorado Springs, CO | $75,209 | $15,788 | $12,065 | 97.4% |
| University of Colorado Colorado Springs reports $75,209 in median earnings for its Economics graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $15,788. | |||||
| 5 | University of Colorado Boulder · Boulder, CO | $73,319 | $25,346 | $14,231 | 78.1% |
| With a cohort of 284 graduates in the earnings cohort, University of Colorado Boulder's Economics graduates four years after completing earned a median of $73,319. | |||||
| 6 | University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus · Denver, CO | $71,385 | $11,900 | $6,743 | 74.7% |
| University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus carries the lowest average net price on the page at $11,900 and ranks 130th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
| 7 | Colorado State University-Fort Collins · Fort Collins, CO | $69,934 | $21,279 | $13,259 | 88.5% |
| Colorado State University-Fort Collins reports median federal debt of $21,500 among Economics completers who borrowed and an admission rate of 89%. | |||||
| 8 | University of Northern Colorado · Greeley, CO | $65,025 | $17,760 | $12,695 | 85.9% |
| University of Northern Colorado shows an average net price of $12,695 for families earning under $30,000 and median earnings of $65,025 for its Economics graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 9 | Fort Lewis College · Durango, CO | $46,087 | $17,296 | $18,622 | 77.3% |
| Fort Lewis College ranks 9th on this list, with median earnings of $46,087 for its Economics graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $17,296. | |||||
How this list is ordered
Programs are ordered by the median earnings of their Economics graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only programs with a reported earnings cohort in Colorado appear. The figures cover federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled four years after finishing. For 1 of the 9 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one. The metric does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. Colorado College reports $122,998, which is $38,670 above the $84,328 posted by University of Denver.