2027 Best Value General Economics Schools in Colorado

[General Economics](/majors/social-sciences/economics/economics-general/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
To produce this 2027 ranking, College Factual evaluated 7 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for general economics students.
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2027 Best Value General Economics Schools in Colorado
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in general economics, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value General Economics Schools
Metropolitan State College Of Denver tops our 2027 list of the best value general economics schools in Colorado. Metropolitan State College Of Denver is a very large public school located in the city of Denver. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,124, compared with $30,684 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $23,750 to complete the general economics program here. General Economics graduates of Metropolitan State College Of Denver earn a median of $44,861 early in their careers. Set against $23,750 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 99%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Colorado At Colorado Springs earned it the #2 place for general economics. University Of Colorado At Colorado Springs is a large public school located in the city of Colorado Springs. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,906, with out-of-state students paying around $25,039. General Economics graduates carry a median of $25,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general economics degree recipients from University Of Colorado At Colorado Springs generally make around $46,748. Set against $25,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 97%.
A rank of #3 makes University Of Northern Colorado one of the best values for general economics. Located in the city of Greeley, University Of Northern Colorado is a large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,901, compared with $26,979 for out-of-state students. General Economics graduates carry a median of $21,000 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general economics degree recipients from University Of Northern Colorado generally make around $45,257. Set against $21,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. University Of Northern Colorado admits about 86% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in general economics will find it at University Of Colorado Boulder, which ranked #4. Set in the city of Boulder, University Of Colorado Boulder is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $15,214, with out-of-state students paying around $42,970. General Economics graduates carry a median of $17,119 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general economics degree recipients from University Of Colorado Boulder generally make around $51,521. That is a strong return on a $17,119 median debt. The acceptance rate is 78%.
Students looking for strong value in general economics 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. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $21,914, with out-of-state students paying around $45,824. 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. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Colorado School Of Mines admits about 61% of applicants.
Colorado College ranked #6 on our 2027 list of the best value general economics schools. Set in the city of Colorado Springs, Colorado College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $70,734. General Economics graduates carry a median of $18,250 in student loans. General Economics graduates of Colorado College earn a median of $58,082 early in their careers. Set against $18,250 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 18%.
University Of Denver earned the #7 position for value in general economics this year. 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 general economics graduates is $22,534. Early-career general economics graduates make about $60,796. Set against $22,534 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. 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), 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 · 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.