2026 Best Value General Environmental Engineering Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region

[General Environmental Engineering](/majors/engineering/environmental-engineering/general-environmental-engineering/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong general environmental engineering education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 10 schools to find the best return on investment for general environmental engineering students.
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2026 Best Value General Environmental Engineering Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the general environmental engineering degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value General Environmental Engineering Schools
Metropolitan State College Of Denver tops our 2026 list of the best value general environmental engineering schools in the Rocky Mountains Region. Set in the city of Denver, Metropolitan State College Of Denver is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $11,124, while out-of-state students pay about $30,684. Students borrow a median of $27,484 to complete the general environmental engineering program here. Early-career general environmental engineering graduates make about $44,861. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 99%.
Colorado State University Fort Collins is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general environmental engineering, landing the #2 spot this year. Located in the city of Fort Collins, Colorado State University Fort Collins is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $13,373, while out-of-state students pay about $35,061. General Environmental Engineering graduates carry a median of $27,500 in student loans. Early-career general environmental engineering graduates make about $66,109. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 88% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Montana State University earned it the #3 place for general environmental engineering. Located in the city of Bozeman, Montana State University is a large public university. Students from in state pay about $8,460 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $33,287. Students borrow a median of $23,635 to complete the general environmental engineering program here. Soon after graduation, general environmental engineering degree recipients from Montana State University generally make around $47,703. That is a strong return on a $23,635 median debt. Roughly 82% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Colorado Boulder earned it the #4 place for general environmental engineering. Set in the city of Boulder, University Of Colorado Boulder is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $15,214, while out-of-state students pay about $42,970. General Environmental Engineering graduates carry a median of $20,836 in student loans. Early-career general environmental engineering graduates make about $63,049. That is a strong return on a $20,836 median debt. Roughly 78% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in general environmental engineering will find it at Colorado School Of Mines, which ranked #5. Set in the suburb of Golden, Colorado School Of Mines is a moderately-sized public institution. Students from in state pay about $21,914 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $45,824. Typical student debt for general environmental engineering graduates is $23,500. Early-career general environmental engineering graduates make about $69,102. Set against $23,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 61% of applicants are accepted.
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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 · 10 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 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.