I am going to walk with you through the official data, the data Colorado School of Mines reports to the United States government each year. I am not going to sell you this school or scare you away from it. I am going to explain it, so you can place it within your family’s plan.
What kind of school it is, in short
Colorado School of Mines is classified, under the Carnegie system, among doctoral universities with the highest research activity. It is a public, four-year, primarily residential school: in the reporting period used by that classification, between 25 and 49 of every 100 undergraduate students lived in institution-provided housing, and at least half studied full time.
It is also in Carnegie’s most selective admissions group. And I want to pause here for a second, because it is easy to get confused: being “more selective” does not mean it teaches better. It describes who it lets in, not how it teaches once students are inside. Later you will see the exact number of how many get in out of every hundred who apply, and that is the number that really helps you plan.
The school awards degrees through the doctorate, although that is an institutional fact: it does not tell you whether the specific major your child is interested in goes that far. You need to verify that program by program.
One thing Colorado School of Mines is not: it does not appear with any of three specific designations the government tracks—it is not a historically Black college or university, it is not a tribal college or university, and it is not a land-grant institution. Not having any of those three labels tells you nothing about how many Latino students it serves or how your child will feel there. Ask directly: what cultural centers exist today, what student organizations exist, and, better still, talk with someone who is already studying there.
Where it is and how close it may be to you
Golden, Colorado, in Jefferson County, is the address. The campus is within the Denver-Aurora-Centennial metropolitan area, although that does not mean it is in downtown Denver: the census code places it in a suburb, within the urbanized area but outside the principal city.
If your child plans to live at home, do not rely on what the map says. Drive the route yourself on a weekday, at the exact time of their classes. The real travel time is almost never what Google Maps promises.
The size of the community and who makes it up
In the reported fall, Colorado School of Mines had 7,599 students enrolled in total. It is neither a tiny school nor a huge one: it falls in the official range between 5,000 and 9,999, right in the middle compared with similar schools.
But that large number hides something important: it is divided into 5,839 undergraduate students and 1,760 graduate students. If your child is starting college, the number that matters to them is 5,839, not the total. A good portion of this community has already finished a bachelor’s degree and is back studying something more advanced.
As for who those undergraduate students are: 13 of every 100 are Hispanic or Latino. It is a small minority; compared with similar schools, it sits a little above the middle of the group, without reaching the highest quarter. If that matters to you, ask directly during the visit what exists for Latino students: a student group, a cultural center, someone in the office who speaks Spanish.
There are more men than women—of every 100 students, 32 are women—and there are almost no adult students: only 3 of every 100 are between 25 and 64 years old. And here is a fact that sometimes surprises people: fewer than half of first-time students, 49 of every 100, had permanent residence in Colorado. Most come from outside the state or from another country. That does not directly measure distance or travel cost, but if your family lives far away, it makes sense to build your budget around real trips, not the map.
How the academic year works
The calendar uses semesters: two long terms of about 15 weeks each. The school reported that it accepts credit from AP exams and also for what IPEDS calls “credit for life experience”—independent study, work experience, prior licenses, among other routes—as well as credit for military training. It also enrolls high school students in college courses through a formal dual-enrollment program.
Here is a hard truth worth saying plainly: the school reporting that it accepts AP does not mean it will award credit for every exam. It does not say how many points are required or whether those credits count toward your child’s specific major. Ask for the equivalency evaluation in writing before enrolling. Do not budget the savings until you have it in hand.
A school built around engineering
If there is one number that sums up the character of Colorado School of Mines, it is this: in the year it reports, the school awarded 1,211 bachelor’s degrees, and 917 of them—76 of every 100, more than three out of every four—were in engineering.
Compared with similar schools, Colorado School of Mines falls in the quarter with the fewest distinct major families in its bachelor’s-degree offerings. Put simply: you will not find the same broad range of majors here as at a general university. This is a school built almost entirely around engineering.
That does not say whether it is the best option or anything about the specific major your child is interested in. If engineering is not what they are looking for, ask about the exact program: request the curriculum, how many students graduated from it last year, and how easy it is to get the classes they need.
The student-to-instructional-staff ratio is 17 to 1, a middle-range figure, neither among the lowest nor the highest among similar schools. This number does not tell you the actual size of first-year classes; that is not in the report.
The institution also reports structured opportunities: study abroad, undergraduate research, and some pathways for teacher preparation. Their being reported is the starting point for asking questions, not a promise of automatic access.
Getting in: what they require and who gets through
Colorado School of Mines does not have open admissions. There are items it reviews before saying yes, and four of them are required: the high school transcript, high school grade-point average, completion of the course plan the university requires, and an English-proficiency exam for those to whom it applies. Other items are not required but are considered if you send them: class rank, the personal essay, letters of recommendation, and work experience.
If your child studied outside the United States or attended high school in Spanish, ask today whether they need the English exam and what exempts them from it. It is one of those things that people discover late and that complicates everything.
The published application fee is $50.
Now for the hard numbers on who gets in. In the most recent cycle, 9,821 students applied to enter as first-time students. Of them, 5,864 received an offer of admission: 60 of every 100. Compared with similar schools, Colorado School of Mines is on the more demanding side: seven out of every ten similar schools, or more, accepted a higher percentage of their applicants.
Of every 100 who applied, 60 received a yes. It is not a sure thing, but it is not a lottery either. Applications are reviewed.
But there is a second number that almost no one looks at and that matters just as much or more: of every 100 students Colorado School of Mines admitted, only 25 ultimately enrolled there. The other 75 had the letter in hand and did not come. Being admitted is not the same as enrolling, and this percentage—known as yield—falls right in the middle compared with similar schools.
This fact does not measure quality, prestige, or whether people ended up happy. It only counts how many admitted students arrived in class. When your child’s admission letters arrive, this number does not decide anything: put the letters next to each other and compare net price, major, and distance before deposit day.
As for standardized tests: the SAT and ACT are not required. If your child sends them, they are considered; if not, the application remains valid just the same. Among those who did enroll and submitted SAT scores—42 of every 100, a high proportion compared with similar schools—the middle half scored between 650 and 720 in reading and writing, and between 670 and 750 in mathematics. That 650 is not a minimum your child needs to reach, and that 720 is not a guarantee of anything either. These are the numbers of people who were already enrolled, not of everyone who applied.
And on transfers: of the class that entered in 2017 seeking a bachelor’s degree, 15 of every 100 transferred to another school without finishing here. Compared with similar schools, that proportion is low: most similar schools saw more people leave. Transferring is not failing. But it is still wise for your child to know in advance how to request their records if they ever need to move.
The sticker price, and why the gap between in-state and out-of-state matters so much
At Colorado School of Mines, among 60 first-time, full-time, degree-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid, paid the in-state or district tuition rate, and whose EFC records showed family income below $30,000, the average net price was $19,231. Among 84 students from the same population with family EFC income from $48,001 to $75,000, it was $25,347; among 273 students with family EFC income above $110,000, $33,931. For dependent students, the band adds their parents’ income and their own.
Between the average for the lower-income band (60 students) and that for the higher-income band (273 students), there is a difference of $14,700. These are group averages, not a prediction of your family’s price. Among first-year students who received any scholarship, the average was $29,785.
Among the 519 schools of the same type and control included in this census that reported this fact with the same time coverage, this one falls in the most expensive quarter for lower-income families. That does not mean you should rule it out. It means you need to request the aid letter before deciding.
Because the price changes so much from one income band to another, placing yours correctly is the first step. The income bands in this profile describe first-time, full-time, degree-seeking students who received federal Title IV aid; at public institutions, they use the in-state or district tuition rate. The overall scholarship average, when it appears, describes first-time, full-time, degree-seeking students who received federal, state, local, or institutional scholarships or grants. The one that matters is the aid letter you receive.
Financial aid: many scholarships, little Pell
Of every 100 degree-seeking students at Colorado School of Mines, 85 received some scholarship or aid that does not need to be repaid. Compared with similar schools, that places it in the quarter where scholarships reach the most students. Among those who received it, the average for the year was $10,790.
But here is the fine print that does matter: federal Pell grants—for families with demonstrated financial need—reached only 13 of every 100 students. That means at least 72 of every 100 received aid that was not Pell, but instead came from another source: state government, the school itself, or another party. The report does not separate where each scholarship came from, so this fact cannot tell us exactly what your family would receive.
Pell appearing infrequently does not mean families like yours do not fit here. The fact counts those who are already enrolled, not those who could get in. Ask the financial-aid office directly what a family with your income would receive, and request that example in writing.
On loans: 34 of every 100 undergraduate students received a federal student loan in the most recently reported year. Of those who borrowed, each received $6,370 on average that year. That percentage is for all undergraduates; that amount is only for those who did borrow. It does not include Parent PLUS loans that parents sometimes sign for, bank debt, or credit cards, and it is not the total debt someone graduates with after several years.
There are students here who made it through the year without debt and students who borrowed. Which group your child falls into is not decided by this percentage. It is decided by the financial-aid letter they receive, in writing.
Colorado School of Mines also reports a tuition payment plan in installments as a way to manage the cost.
Campus life: housing, ROTC, athletics, and support
Colorado School of Mines does have institution-controlled housing, and it does not require all full-time, first-time students to live there. That does not say whether a specific program requires it. It also offers meal plans, although the number of meals per week changes depending on the plan you choose. The reported maximum housing capacity is 2,280 students. Having rooms does not guarantee you a bed: request this year’s rate, the application deadline, and whether you are guaranteed a space or placed on a waiting list, in writing.
For those seeking the military path: the school reported ROTC opportunities in two branches, Army and Air Force. Navy is not marked. Being marked does not mean the program is offered on this specific campus; ask that by name before arranging your child’s plan around ROTC.
In athletics, Colorado School of Mines competes in intercollegiate sports and is affiliated with the NCAA. The report does not identify the current teams, what division each sport plays in, or whether it provides athletic scholarships. Ask the coach of the sport your child is interested in directly, and have them answer in writing.
On distance education: the school does offer such courses at the undergraduate and graduate levels, but in the most recent count, practically no one—0 of every 100—took their entire undergraduate course load at a distance. It is among the schools with the lowest enrollment in that format compared with similar schools. The institution reported that it has at least one complete program at a distance, but that does not confirm it is at the undergraduate level or in your child’s major. Confirm it in writing.
The library operates with hired staff, and its annual spending exceeds the threshold the government tracks. It has physical and digital materials, and interlibrary loan. That is the floor, not a guarantee that specific databases exist for your child’s major: ask about that by major name.
Finally, the institution reports combined academic and career counseling services, employment services for current students, placement services upon completing the program, a dedicated point of contact for veterans and military members, a student veterans organization, and a disability-services page.
Those who stay and those who finish
Here Colorado School of Mines shows one of its strongest numbers. Of the class that entered in the most recently reported fall, 93 of every 100 were still enrolled here or had already completed a bachelor’s degree the following year. Compared with similar schools, it is among those that retain the most of their entering class: nine out of every ten similar schools, or more, retained an equal or lower proportion.
That combined number does not separate who did well in each way—how many remained enrolled and how many had already graduated—so it is not a final graduation rate.
And speaking of graduation: of the class that entered in 2017, 79 of every 100 had their degree in hand six years later. Over a four-year period, the figure drops to 66 of every 100—thirteen points lower, a reminder that many students here take more than four years. Compared with similar schools, it is among those that graduate the most students: nine out of every ten similar schools, or more, reported an equal or lower proportion.
It is worth seeing the complete detail for that cohort of 1,133 students: 900 completed a bachelor’s degree here, 171 transferred to another institution without completing here, 17 remained enrolled without completing by the reporting cutoff, and 45 fell into the “no longer enrolled” category—a category that does not explain the reason and may include people who completed after the official time period.
A high number is not a promise for your child. It is what happened to the class that entered in 2017. What is in your hands: that they enter with their credits in order and, from the first semester, know who their adviser is and when courses in their major are enrolled in.
There is a third measure, over eight years, that follows a different cohort—undergraduate students who entered between July 2015 and June 2016, combining first-time students and those who already had college experience. At the eight-year cutoff, 84 of every 100 had a degree or certificate from this school. Among those who received Pell grants, the figure was 78 of every 100—seven points below the group without Pell. Compared with similar schools, it is also among those that graduate the most people within this time period.
Again: a high percentage describes an earlier cohort; it does not predict your child’s outcome. It is more valuable to ask about the program’s current supports and the results of more recent classes than to rely blindly on the historical average.
What this article cannot tell you
Nothing you read here addresses what happens after graduation: salaries, employment, or how much debt remains at the end. Those facts require another source, and they are not authorized in this piece. If that matters to you—and it probably matters a lot—it is the next question you should research separately.
How all of this fits with your situation
Now you know one piece of the puzzle in detail: what kind of school Colorado School of Mines is, how selective it really is, how much it costs based on your family income, and how likely a student who enters there is to stay and finish.
But this piece alone does not decide anything. It lacks what your child wants to study and what they have built to get here—whether engineering truly motivates them, because at this school almost everything revolves around it. And it lacks what your family can and is willing to pay, something only the real financial-aid letter, with your child’s name on it, can tell you with certainty.
Your child has to decide whether this engineering-focused bet is theirs. You have to understand the money, request the letters in writing, and support them without carrying alone the weight of a system neither of you inherited. You do not complete the process for each other. You complete it together.
Source note: the information in this article comes from data Colorado School of Mines reported to IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) of the United States Department of Education, in the years and periods indicated throughout the text. Best College Aid does not represent Colorado School of Mines or the United States government, and this piece does not constitute personalized admissions advice.