2026 Best Value Biological Engineering Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region

[Biological Engineering](/majors/engineering/biological-biosystems-engineering/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong biological engineering education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 4 schools to find the best return on investment for biological engineering students.
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2026 Best Value Biological Engineering Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in biological engineering, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Biological Engineering Schools
Utah State University earned the #1 spot for value among biological engineering schools in the Rocky Mountains Region. Set in the city of Logan, Utah State University is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,560, while out-of-state students pay about $24,993. Typical student debt for biological engineering graduates is $12,000. Soon after graduation, biological engineering degree recipients from Utah State University generally make around $52,951. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 92%.
A rank of #2 makes University Of Idaho one of the best values for biological engineering. Located in the town of Moscow, University Of Idaho is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,084, compared with $28,320 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $23,844 to complete the biological engineering program here. Soon after graduation, biological engineering degree recipients from University Of Idaho generally make around $43,246. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 76% of applicants are accepted.
Colorado School Of Mines is a great value for students pursuing a degree in biological engineering, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the suburb of Golden, Colorado School Of Mines is a moderately-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $21,914 in tuition and fees, compared with $45,824 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $24,521 to complete the biological engineering program here. Biological Engineering graduates of Colorado School Of Mines earn a median of $76,298 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 61% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 4 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.