2027 Best Value General Economics Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region

[General Economics](/majors/social-sciences/economics/economics-general/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong general economics education at a price that pays off.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 13 schools to find the best return on investment for general economics students.
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2027 Best Value General Economics Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in general economics, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value General Economics Schools
Weber State University tops our 2027 list of the best value general economics schools in the Rocky Mountains Region. Set in the city of Ogden, Weber State University is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $6,557, compared with $17,545 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $19,176 to complete the general economics program here. Early-career general economics graduates make about $53,920. Set against $19,176 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff.
Students looking for strong value in general economics will find it at Southern Utah University, which ranked #2. Southern Utah University is a very large public school located in the town of Cedar City. Students from in state pay about $6,962 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $21,192. Students borrow a median of $12,886 to complete the general economics program here. General Economics graduates of Southern Utah University earn a median of $43,266 early in their careers. Set against $12,886 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 82%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Brigham Young University Provo earned it the #3 place for general economics. Brigham Young University Provo is a very large private not-for-profit school located in the city of Provo. Students from in state pay about $6,688 in tuition and fees. Students borrow a median of $11,000 to complete the general economics program here. General Economics graduates of Brigham Young University Provo earn a median of $63,332 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $11,000 median debt. Roughly 68% of applicants are accepted.
Metropolitan State College Of Denver is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general economics, landing the #4 spot this year. Located in the city of Denver, Metropolitan State College Of Denver is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $11,124 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $30,684. Students borrow a median of $23,750 to complete the general economics program here. Soon after graduation, general economics degree recipients from Metropolitan State College Of Denver generally make around $44,861. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 99% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Colorado At Colorado Springs earned it the #5 place for general economics. University Of Colorado At Colorado Springs is a large public school located in the city of Colorado Springs. In-state tuition and fees average $10,906, while out-of-state students pay about $25,039. Students borrow a median of $25,000 to complete the general economics program here. Early-career general economics graduates make about $46,748. That is a strong return on a $25,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 97%.
The University Of Montana ranked #6 on our 2027 list of the best value general economics schools. Set in the city of Missoula, The University Of Montana is a large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $8,552, compared with $33,671 for out-of-state students. General Economics graduates carry a median of $24,342 in student loans. General Economics graduates of The University Of Montana earn a median of $42,654 early in their careers. Set against $24,342 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 96% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Northern Colorado ranked #7 on our 2027 list of the best value general economics schools. University Of Northern Colorado is a large public school located in the city of Greeley. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,901, compared with $26,979 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for general economics graduates is $21,000. General Economics graduates of University Of Northern Colorado earn a median of $45,257 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $21,000 median debt. University Of Northern Colorado admits about 86% of applicants.
Boise State University came in at #8 for value in general economics this year. Boise State University is a very large public school located in the city of Boise. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,048, compared with $27,788 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for general economics graduates is $24,675. General Economics graduates of Boise State University earn a median of $46,137 early in their careers. Set against $24,675 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 87% of applicants are accepted.
Montana State University earned the #9 position for value in general economics this year. Montana State University is a large public school located in the city of Bozeman. In-state tuition and fees average $8,460, with out-of-state students paying around $33,287. Students borrow a median of $25,500 to complete the general economics program here. Soon after graduation, general economics degree recipients from Montana State University generally make around $47,098. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 82% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Colorado Boulder ranked #10 on our 2027 list of the best value general economics schools. Set in the city of Boulder, University Of Colorado Boulder is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $15,214 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $42,970. Students borrow a median of $17,119 to complete the general economics program here. General Economics graduates of University Of Colorado Boulder earn a median of $51,521 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $17,119 median debt. The acceptance rate is 78%.
Colorado School Of Mines earned the #11 position for value in general economics this year. 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 $24,521 to complete the general economics program here. General Economics graduates of Colorado School Of Mines earn a median of $76,298 early in their careers. Set against $24,521 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Colorado School Of Mines admits about 61% of applicants.
Colorado College landed the #12 spot for general economics value this year. Located in the city of Colorado Springs, Colorado College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. In-state tuition and fees average $70,734. Students borrow a median of $18,250 to complete the general economics program here. Soon after graduation, general economics degree recipients from Colorado College generally make around $58,082. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 18%.
University Of Denver came in at #13 for value in general economics this year. Located in the city of Denver, University Of Denver is a large private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $61,398 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for general economics graduates is $22,534. Soon after graduation, general economics degree recipients from University Of Denver generally make around $60,796. That is a strong return on a $22,534 median debt. 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 · 13 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 13 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.