2027 Best Value General Chemistry Schools in Colorado

[General Chemistry](/majors/physical-sciences/chemistry/general-chemistry/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong general chemistry education at a price that pays off.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 9 schools to find the best return on investment for general chemistry students.
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2027 Best Value General Chemistry Schools in Colorado
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the general chemistry degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value General Chemistry Schools
Mesa State College earned the #1 spot for value among general chemistry schools in Colorado. Mesa State College is a large public school located in the city of Grand Junction. In-state tuition and fees average $9,927, while out-of-state students pay about $25,124. Students borrow a median of $22,310 to complete the general chemistry program here. Early-career general chemistry graduates make about $43,617. Set against $22,310 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 82% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in general chemistry will find it at Metropolitan State College Of Denver, which ranked #2. 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. General Chemistry graduates carry a median of $29,318 in student loans. Soon after graduation, general chemistry degree recipients from Metropolitan State College Of Denver generally make around $34,417. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Metropolitan State College Of Denver admits about 99% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Fort Lewis College earned it the #3 place for general chemistry. Set in the town of Durango, Fort Lewis College is a mid-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,958, with out-of-state students paying around $21,526. Students borrow a median of $15,417 to complete the general chemistry program here. Soon after graduation, general chemistry degree recipients from Fort Lewis College generally make around $34,159. That is a strong return on a $15,417 median debt. Roughly 77% of applicants are accepted.
Students looking for strong value in general chemistry will find it at University Of Northern Colorado, which ranked #4. Set in the city of Greeley, University Of Northern Colorado is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,901, with out-of-state students paying around $26,979. Students borrow a median of $26,626 to complete the general chemistry program here. Soon after graduation, general chemistry degree recipients from University Of Northern Colorado generally make around $45,406. That is a strong return on a $26,626 median debt. University Of Northern Colorado admits about 86% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in general chemistry will find it at Colorado State University Fort Collins, which ranked #5. Colorado State University Fort Collins is a very large public school located in the city of Fort Collins. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $13,373, while out-of-state students pay about $35,061. Students borrow a median of $19,062 to complete the general chemistry program here. Early-career general chemistry graduates make about $63,896. Set against $19,062 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Colorado State University Fort Collins admits about 88% of applicants.
University Of Colorado Boulder landed the #6 spot for general chemistry value this year. 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, compared with $42,970 for out-of-state students. General Chemistry graduates carry a median of $20,373 in student loans. Early-career general chemistry graduates make about $72,394. That is a strong return on a $20,373 median debt. The acceptance rate is 78%.
Colorado School Of Mines ranked #7 on our 2027 list of the best value general chemistry schools. Colorado School Of Mines is a moderately-sized public school located in the suburb of Golden. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $21,914, with out-of-state students paying around $45,824. General Chemistry graduates carry a median of $24,521 in student loans. Early-career general chemistry graduates make about $76,298. Set against $24,521 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 61% of applicants are accepted.
Colorado College landed the #8 spot for general chemistry value this year. Colorado College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Colorado Springs. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $70,734. General Chemistry graduates carry a median of $17,921 in student loans. Early-career general chemistry graduates make about $37,342. Set against $17,921 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Colorado College admits about 18% of applicants.
University Of Denver earned the #9 position for value in general chemistry this year. Set in the city of Denver, University Of Denver is a large private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $61,398. Typical student debt for general chemistry graduates is $22,534. Early-career general chemistry graduates make about $56,999. Set against $22,534 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. 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 · 9 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 9 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.