Colorado College

Colorado College's program mix is anchored in the social sciences, humanities, and natural sciences—a portfolio reflecting the institution's liberal arts identity and emphasis on analytical and research-oriented fields. Economics is the largest program with 60 graduates, followed by Political Science, Natural Resources Conservation and Research, Interdisciplinary Studies, and Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology, Evolution, Systematics, and Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology.

Across 0 ranked programs serving roughly 519 students annually, the institution demonstrates particular strength in fields where analytical and communication skills command strong labor-market outcomes. Economics leads the earnings profile, with 60 graduates earning median earnings of $122,998 four years after enrollment.

Natural Resources Conservation and Research follows closely with 43 graduates earning $37,393, demonstrating the institution's capacity to deliver strong financial outcomes in quantitative and professional fields. The concentration of Social Sciences at 28%, other STEM fields at 6%, and Arts at 4% reflects Colorado College's positioning as a selective liberal arts college where breadth of inquiry coexists with professional preparation in high-demand fields.

Many of Colorado College's strongest programs are high-mobility pathways where graduates enter the national labor market directly—particularly in business, economics, and quantitative social sciences—while others, including psychology and biology, serve as gateways to graduate and professional study. The [supply and demand for college graduates](/analysis/supply-demand-map-college-degrees/) provides context for how the institution's dominant program families align with national labor-market trends and wage growth patterns across sectors.

Colorado College's published cost of attendance is $86,921. Need-based financial aid reshapes that figure across income levels: low-income families pay approximately $9,217, families in the lower-middle income band pay around $15,477, middle-income families pay about $12,568, families in the upper-middle income band pay approximately $24,129, and higher-income families pay around $44,141.

Azimuth ranks Colorado College #1152 for post-graduation affordability among nonprofit four-year institutions. Net prices by income band are medians within those bands; individual aid packages vary, so some families in each band pay more and some less than the figures shown.

Colorado College's aid structure is need-based, with institutional aid designed to meet demonstrated financial need. The college participates in federal (Pell Grants, Direct Loans) and institutional aid programs.

Families apply using the FAFSA and CSS Profile to determine eligibility and aid packages. Median federal student loan debt at graduation is $18,257, and families using Parent PLUS borrow a median of $35,663; private or institutional loans may add further borrowing that falls outside these federal-only figures — see the [Parent PLUS risk framework](/analysis/ou-what-happens-when-parents-borrow-too/) for how household context shapes PLUS decisions.

For a graduate at the institution's median four-year earnings of $56,959, median federal debt of $18,257 projects to a monthly payment of about $206 under standard ten-year repayment. For personalized projections across earnings scenarios — including Parent PLUS planning — use [Azimuth's Financial GPS tool](/analysis/financial-gps-framework/).

Graduates of Colorado College earn median 4-year earnings of $56,959, placing Colorado College in the 31.7 percentile for median earnings four years after enrollment among nonprofit four-year institutions. Azimuth ranks Colorado College #636 for return on investment among nonprofit four-year institutions.

The earnings trajectory reflects strong outcomes across the institution's social-sciences-anchored curriculum, where graduates move into stable professional and analytical roles that support sustained income growth through the early and mid-career years. The program mix centers on Social Sciences, which represents a significant share of degrees and drives much of the institution's earnings profile.

Economics is the largest program with 60 graduates earning median 4-year earnings of $122,998, performing at 1.5× the national benchmark for the field. Political Science and Natural Resources Conservation and Research also enroll substantial cohorts and contribute to the institution's consistent earnings outcomes.

Interdisciplinary Studies and Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology, Evolution, Systematics, and Ecology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology, Evolution, Systematics, and Population Biology round out the top programs, each supporting graduates into professional pathways aligned with the broader social-sciences signature. This concentrated program portfolio, combined with Colorado College's liberal arts foundation and emphasis on analytical thinking, translates into earnings that reflect both the quality of preparation and the labor-market demand for graduates in these fields.