Colorado School of Mines — ROI, Cost & Payback
Colorado School of Mines charges a net price of $28,690/yr after aid — a 4-year total of $114,760. Graduates earn a median $97,335 ten years after entry, $48,975/yr above the $48,360 high-school baseline, clearing the total in 2.3 years — a 20-year net return of $864,740, a strong payback — the degree clears its cost fast. (Scorecard, 2026 · our math.)
Colorado School of Mines's 2.3-year payback ranks #106 of 1,280 US colleges we track — better ROI than 92% of them, and #2 of 50 in Colorado.
| Measure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Net price (after aid) | $28,690/yr | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Total net cost (4 yrs) | $114,760 | our math |
| Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry | $97,335 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Earnings premium over HS baseline | $48,975/yr | our math |
| Median debt (completers) | $23,000 | Scorecard, 2026 |
| Payback | 2.3 yrs | our math |
| 20-year net return | $864,740 | our math |
College Scorecard (2026 release), institution-level · payback and returns are our math.
How we compute this. Payback = total net cost ÷ annual earnings premium, where the premium is median earnings 10 years after entry minus the $48,360 baseline (BLS 2024 median for a high-school-diploma worker 25+). Total net cost = net price × 4 years. We do not discount future dollars. The institution-wide earnings figure blends every major — a specific program's payback can be far better or worse. Full method on the methodology page.