2026 Best Value Environmental Engineering Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in environmental engineering, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Environmental Engineering Schools
Our analysis ranked Metropolitan State College Of Denver the best value for a degree in environmental engineering in the Rocky Mountains Region. 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. Environmental Engineering graduates carry a median of $27,484 in student loans. Soon after graduation, environmental engineering degree recipients from Metropolitan State College Of Denver generally make around $44,861. That is a strong return on a $27,484 median debt. The acceptance rate is 99%.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Colorado State University Fort Collins earned it the #2 place for environmental engineering. 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, compared with $35,061 for out-of-state students. Environmental Engineering graduates carry a median of $27,500 in student loans. Environmental Engineering graduates of Colorado State University Fort Collins earn a median of $66,109 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 88% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #3 makes Montana State University one of the best values for environmental engineering. Set in the city of Bozeman, Montana State University is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,460, while out-of-state students pay about $33,287. Typical student debt for environmental engineering graduates is $23,635. Soon after graduation, environmental engineering degree recipients from Montana State University generally make around $47,703. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 82% of applicants are accepted.
A rank of #4 makes University Of Colorado Boulder one of the best values for environmental engineering. University Of Colorado Boulder is a very large public school located in the city of Boulder. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $15,214, with out-of-state students paying around $42,970. Students borrow a median of $20,836 to complete the environmental engineering program here. Early-career environmental engineering graduates make about $63,049. Set against $20,836 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 environmental engineering schools. Colorado School Of Mines is a moderately-sized public school located in the suburb of Golden. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $21,914, compared with $45,824 for out-of-state students. Environmental Engineering graduates carry a median of $23,500 in student loans. Environmental Engineering graduates of Colorado School Of Mines earn a median of $69,102 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $23,500 median debt. Roughly 61% of applicants are accepted.
Narrow Environmental Engineering Schools by State
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.
[Environmental Engineering](/majors/engineering/environmental-engineering/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
