2026 Best Value Physics Schools in Colorado
[Physics](/majors/physical-sciences/physics/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 19 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for physics students.
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2026 Best Value Physics Schools in Colorado
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in physics, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Physics Schools
University Of Colorado Denver tops our 2026 list of the best value physics schools in Colorado. University Of Colorado Denver is a very large public school located in the city of Denver. Students from in state pay about $10,383 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $29,391. Students borrow a median of $26,582 to complete the physics program here. Early-career physics graduates make about $66,022. That is a strong return on a $26,582 median debt. University Of Colorado Denver admits about 75% of applicants.
Colorado State University Fort Collins came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the best value physics schools. 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, while out-of-state students pay about $35,061. Physics graduates carry a median of $22,843 in student loans. Physics graduates of Colorado State University Fort Collins earn a median of $51,927 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $22,843 median debt. Roughly 88% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Colorado Boulder earned it the #3 place for physics. 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. Typical student debt for physics graduates is $20,635. Soon after graduation, physics degree recipients from University Of Colorado Boulder generally make around $41,874. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Colorado Boulder admits about 78% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in physics will find it at Colorado School Of Mines, which ranked #4. 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, compared with $45,824 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $24,521 to complete the physics program here. Physics 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. The acceptance rate is 61%.
Students looking for strong value in physics will find it at Colorado College, which ranked #5. Set in the city of Colorado Springs, Colorado College is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. Students from in state pay about $70,734 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for physics graduates is $17,921. Physics graduates of Colorado College earn a median of $37,342 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 18% of applicants are accepted.
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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 · 19 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 2 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.
