2026 Best Value Electrical Engineering Schools in Colorado

[Electrical Engineering](/majors/engineering/ee-electrical-engineering/electrical-engineering/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 9 schools to find the best return on investment for electrical engineering students.
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2026 Best Value Electrical Engineering Schools in Colorado
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in electrical engineering, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Electrical Engineering Schools
Leading the list is University Of Colorado At Colorado Springs, our #1 best value for electrical engineering in Colorado. Located in the city of Colorado Springs, University Of Colorado At Colorado Springs is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,906, compared with $25,039 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $25,324 to complete the electrical engineering program here. Soon after graduation, electrical engineering degree recipients from University Of Colorado At Colorado Springs generally make around $80,513. Set against $25,324 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Colorado At Colorado Springs admits about 97% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in electrical engineering will find it at University Of Colorado Denver, which ranked #2. University Of Colorado Denver is a very large public school located in the city of Denver. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,383, with out-of-state students paying around $29,391. Electrical Engineering graduates carry a median of $34,500 in student loans. Electrical Engineering graduates of University Of Colorado Denver earn a median of $89,464 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 75%.
Colorado State University Fort Collins is a great value for students pursuing a degree in electrical engineering, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the city of Fort Collins, Colorado State University Fort Collins is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,373, while out-of-state students pay about $35,061. Typical student debt for electrical engineering graduates is $25,900. Soon after graduation, electrical engineering degree recipients from Colorado State University Fort Collins generally make around $78,038. That is a strong return on a $25,900 median debt. The acceptance rate is 88%.
A rank of #4 makes University Of Colorado Boulder one of the best values for electrical engineering. Located in the city of Boulder, University Of Colorado Boulder is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $15,214, while out-of-state students pay about $42,970. Typical student debt for electrical engineering graduates is $20,414. Soon after graduation, electrical engineering degree recipients from University Of Colorado Boulder generally make around $105,255. Set against $20,414 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 78%.
Colorado School Of Mines came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value electrical engineering schools. Set in the suburb of Golden, Colorado School Of Mines is a moderately-sized public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $21,914, compared with $45,824 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $22,000 to complete the electrical engineering program here. Electrical Engineering graduates of Colorado School Of Mines earn a median of $80,815 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $22,000 median debt. Colorado School Of Mines admits about 61% of applicants.
University Of Denver placed #6 among the best values for electrical engineering. University Of Denver is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Denver. In-state tuition and fees average $61,398. Typical student debt for electrical engineering graduates is $22,534. Early-career electrical engineering graduates make about $56,999. That is a strong return on a $22,534 median debt. University Of Denver admits about 78% of applicants.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published 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 · 9 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 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.