2027 Best Value Applied Economics Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region
[Applied Economics](/majors/social-sciences/economics/applied-economics/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong applied economics education at a price that pays off.
College Factual analyzed 2 schools to build this 2027 ranking of the best value applied economics schools.
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2027 Best Value Applied Economics Schools in the Rocky Mountains Region
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the applied economics degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Applied Economics Schools
Leading the list is Utah State University, our #1 best value for applied economics in the Rocky Mountains Region. Set in the city of Logan, Utah State University is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $8,560, compared with $24,993 for out-of-state students. Applied Economics graduates carry a median of $15,250 in student loans. Early-career applied economics graduates make about $60,472. That is a strong return on a $15,250 median debt. Utah State University admits about 92% of applicants.
Colorado School Of Mines came in at #2 on our 2027 list of the best value applied economics schools. Located in the suburb of Golden, Colorado School Of Mines is a moderately-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $21,914 in tuition and fees, compared with $45,824 for out-of-state students. Applied Economics graduates carry a median of $24,521 in student loans. Applied 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. The acceptance rate is 61%.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced 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 · 2 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.
