2027 Best Value Mechanical Engineering Schools in Colorado

[Mechanical Engineering](/majors/engineering/me-mechanical-engineering/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
College Factual analyzed 7 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value mechanical engineering schools.
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2027 Best Value Mechanical Engineering Schools in Colorado
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in mechanical engineering, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Mechanical Engineering Schools
University Of Colorado Denver tops our 2027 list of the best value mechanical engineering schools in Colorado. Set in the city of Denver, University Of Colorado Denver is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,383, with out-of-state students paying around $29,391. Students borrow a median of $30,907 to complete the mechanical engineering program here. Mechanical Engineering graduates of University Of Colorado Denver earn a median of $70,763 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $30,907 median debt. University Of Colorado Denver admits about 75% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in mechanical engineering will find it at Front Range Community College, which ranked #2. Located in the suburb of Westminster, Front Range Community College is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $4,663, compared with $17,263 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $17,384 to complete the mechanical engineering program here. Mechanical Engineering graduates of Front Range Community College earn a median of $40,414 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $17,384 median debt.
University Of Colorado At Colorado Springs is a great value for students pursuing a degree in mechanical engineering, landing the #3 spot this year. 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, while out-of-state students pay about $25,039. Mechanical Engineering graduates carry a median of $23,250 in student loans. Early-career mechanical engineering graduates make about $70,440. Set against $23,250 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 97%.
Colorado State University Fort Collins came in at #4 on our 2027 list of the best value mechanical engineering schools. 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, with out-of-state students paying around $35,061. Typical student debt for mechanical engineering graduates is $26,184. Early-career mechanical engineering graduates make about $77,053. Set against $26,184 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Colorado State University Fort Collins admits about 88% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in mechanical engineering will find it at University Of Colorado Boulder, which ranked #5. Set in the city of Boulder, University Of Colorado Boulder is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $15,214, while out-of-state students pay about $42,970. Mechanical Engineering graduates carry a median of $20,500 in student loans. Mechanical Engineering graduates of University Of Colorado Boulder earn a median of $75,355 early in their careers. Set against $20,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 78%.
Colorado School Of Mines ranked #6 on our 2027 list of the best value mechanical engineering schools. 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, compared with $45,824 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for mechanical engineering graduates is $25,000. Soon after graduation, mechanical engineering degree recipients from Colorado School Of Mines generally make around $81,619. That is a strong return on a $25,000 median debt. Colorado School Of Mines admits about 61% of applicants.
University Of Denver came in at #7 for value in mechanical engineering this year. Located in the city of Denver, University Of Denver is a large private not-for-profit university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $61,398. Mechanical Engineering graduates carry a median of $26,248 in student loans. Early-career mechanical engineering graduates make about $65,014. Set against $26,248 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 78%.
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Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 7 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 7 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.