Graduate earnings are in line with similar institutions.
What graduates earn 10 years after enrollment.
Annual salary at 10 years
Lower quartile earnings
Upper quartile earnings
How graduate earnings grow in the decade after enrollment.
Colorado State graduates experience steady earnings growth throughout the post-graduation period, with median earnings rising from $49,748 at six years to $56,079 at eight years and $60,543 at ten years after enrollment. This represents 21.7% growth from the six-year to ten-year measurement points, indicating consistent career advancement as graduates gain experience and professional development.
How outcomes compare to similar institutions.
Graduate earnings align with peer institutions — outcomes are in line with similar schools.
Financial justification for the investment.
Healthy debt burden. Most graduates can manage $20,000 in debt with typical earnings.
Colorado State graduates carry median debt of $20,000, exactly matching the peer median and indicating typical borrowing levels for similar public research universities. Debt distribution ranges from $6,500 at the 25th percentile to $25,535 at the 75th percentile, reflecting varied borrowing patterns among graduates.
Colorado State delivers above average return on educational investment, ranking at the 70.4th percentile nationally on Azimuth's return index. Graduates earn $2,708 beyond expectations compared to similar students at comparable institutions, placing the university in the 66.4th percentile for earnings uplift.
Approximately 24.6% of Colorado State graduates continue to graduate or professional study, based on program mix analysis with high confidence. This ...
Program mix explains much of the earnings story.
Colorado State's highest-earning programs demonstrate the institution's particular strengths in applied fields and technical disciplines. Artificial Intelligence leads with graduate earnings of $101,356, followed by Construction Engineering Technology at $90,253 and Mechanical Engineering at $83,877.
These engineering programs achieve both high earnings and strong national rankings, with Construction Engineering Technology ranking #10 nationally and Artificial Intelligence ranking #34 nationally. Business Administration serves the largest student population with 705 graduates earning $66,656, providing solid outcomes for students seeking broad career flexibility.
See which programs drive the strongest earnings and career trajectories
The earnings distribution at Colorado State shows meaningful variation that reflects program diversity and individual career paths. Graduates earn between $40,471 at the 25th percentile and $88,212 at the 75th percentile, creating a 2.2:1 ratio that indicates substantial upside potential for high-performing graduates.
