2027 Best Value Chemical Engineering Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region
[Chemical Engineering](/majors/engineering/chemical-engineering/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong chemical engineering education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 8 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for chemical engineering students.
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2027 Best Value Chemical Engineering Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in chemical engineering, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Chemical Engineering Schools
University Of Wyoming earned the #1 spot for value among chemical engineering schools in the Rocky Mountains Region. Set in the town of Laramie, University Of Wyoming is a large public institution. Students from in state pay about $7,768 in tuition and fees, compared with $24,178 for out-of-state students. Chemical Engineering graduates carry a median of $20,283 in student loans. Chemical Engineering graduates of University Of Wyoming earn a median of $46,398 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $20,283 median debt. University Of Wyoming admits about 97% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in chemical engineering will find it at Brigham Young University Provo, which ranked #2. Set in the city of Provo, Brigham Young University Provo is a very large private not-for-profit institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $6,688. Chemical Engineering graduates carry a median of $13,980 in student loans. Early-career chemical engineering graduates make about $77,565. Set against $13,980 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 68% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Idaho is a great value for students pursuing a degree in chemical engineering, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the town of Moscow, University Of Idaho is a large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $9,084, with out-of-state students paying around $28,320. Typical student debt for chemical engineering graduates is $27,000. Chemical Engineering graduates of University Of Idaho earn a median of $75,915 early in their careers. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 76% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Utah is a great value for students pursuing a degree in chemical engineering, landing the #4 spot this year. Set in the city of Salt Lake City, University Of Utah is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $9,620, with out-of-state students paying around $30,860. Typical student debt for chemical engineering graduates is $22,750. Early-career chemical engineering graduates make about $73,841. That is a strong return on a $22,750 median debt. The acceptance rate is 86%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Colorado State University Fort Collins earned it the #5 place for chemical engineering. Located in the city of Fort Collins, Colorado State University Fort Collins is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,373, while out-of-state students pay about $35,061. Students borrow a median of $21,240 to complete the chemical engineering program here. Chemical Engineering graduates of Colorado State University Fort Collins earn a median of $62,468 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $21,240 median debt. Colorado State University Fort Collins admits about 88% of applicants.
Montana State University came in at #6 for value in chemical engineering this year. Montana State University is a large public school located in the city of Bozeman. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,460, compared with $33,287 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for chemical engineering graduates is $25,130. Early-career chemical engineering graduates make about $62,206. Set against $25,130 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 82% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Colorado Boulder landed the #7 spot for chemical engineering value this year. University Of Colorado Boulder is a very large public school located in the city of Boulder. In-state tuition and fees average $15,214, with out-of-state students paying around $42,970. Typical student debt for chemical engineering graduates is $24,500. Early-career chemical engineering graduates make about $70,359. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 78%.
Colorado School Of Mines landed the #8 spot for chemical engineering value this year. Located in the suburb of Golden, Colorado School Of Mines is a moderately-sized public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $21,914, compared with $45,824 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the chemical engineering program here. Soon after graduation, chemical engineering degree recipients from Colorado School Of Mines generally make around $68,318. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 61%.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 · 8 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 8 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.
