Best Mechanical Engineering Programs in Colorado (2026)
Updated
Part of Best Engineering Colleges in Colorado
This page ranks the 6 Mechanical Engineering programs in Colorado by the median earnings of Mechanical Engineering graduates four years after completing, highest first. Colorado School of Mines leads the list with median earnings of $97,087 for its graduates four years after completing.
Across the listed programs, the figure ranges from $97,087 to $91,192, with a median of $93,666.
The list is predominantly public, with 5 public institutions and 1 private nonprofit school. University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus posts the lowest average net price at $11,900, while 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 School of Mines · Golden, CO | $97,087 | $28,690 | $16,849 | 60.7% |
| Colorado School of Mines reports $97,087 in median earnings for its Mechanical Engineering graduates four years after completing, alongside an admission rate of 61%. | |||||
| 2 | University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus · Denver, CO | $94,320 | $11,900 | $6,743 | 74.7% |
| University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus ranks 2nd on this list and posts a median federal debt of $24,700 among Mechanical Engineering completers who borrowed. | |||||
| 3 | Colorado State University-Fort Collins · Fort Collins, CO | $94,260 | $21,279 | $13,259 | 88.5% |
| With an average net price of $21,279, Colorado State University-Fort Collins shows median earnings of $94,260 for its Mechanical Engineering graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 4 | University of Colorado Boulder · Boulder, CO | $93,073 | $25,346 | $14,231 | 78.1% |
| University of Colorado Boulder places 174th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports $93,073 in median earnings for its Mechanical Engineering graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 5 | University of Denver · Denver, CO | $93,026 | $36,131 | $20,097 | 77.8% |
| A private nonprofit university in Denver, University of Denver carries a median federal debt of $26,248 among Mechanical Engineering completers who borrowed and an average net price of $36,131. | |||||
| 6 | University of Colorado Colorado Springs · Colorado Springs, CO | $91,192 | $15,788 | $12,065 | 97.4% |
| University of Colorado Colorado Springs admits 97% of applicants and reports median earnings of $91,192 for its Mechanical Engineering graduates four years after completing. | |||||
How this list is ordered
Programs are ordered by the median earnings of their Mechanical Engineering 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 completing. The metric does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The 6 listed programs span a range from $91,192 to $97,087, with a median of $93,666. Colorado School of Mines leads University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus by $2,767.
Job market context in Colorado
The occupations linked to Mechanical Engineering in Colorado include such roles as Mechanical Engineers and Cost Estimators. Across those occupations, the median annual wage is $105,685; a quarter of workers in those occupations earn less than $84,555. Projections for 2024 to 2034 count about 1,470 openings a year, or 159 openings a year for every hundred graduates, with more projected openings than graduates. Projections for 2024 to 2034 put employment in those occupations about 16.0% higher. Wages and top occupations exclude management occupations; openings include them. The ranking above uses graduate earnings four years after completing, which is a different measure from the occupational wage and demand figures shown here.