Quad
Colorado School of MinesGolden, CO · Public

Academics

Majors and faculty

The most popular major is Mechanical Engineering (26% of graduates). 18 students for every faculty member, more than at 83% of colleges. 73% of faculty are full-time. Spends $20,431 a year on instruction per student.

Most popular majors

1,372 bachelor's degrees, 2024–25 graduates

The top 5 programs account for 70% of graduates; 19 programs in 6 fields awarded at least one.

  1. Mechanical Engineering 14.190126% 355
    Graduates in this field earn $97,087 4 years out
  2. Computer Science 11.070121% 284
    Graduates in this field earn $127,217 4 years out
  3. Electrical and Electronics Engineering 14.10019.4% 129
    Graduates in this field earn $106,012 4 years out
  4. Chemical Engineering 14.07018.5% 116
    Graduates in this field earn $94,598 4 years out
  5. Civil Engineering, General 14.08016.0% 82
    Graduates in this field earn $94,228 4 years out

Fastest-growing field: Computer science, 5.3% → 21% of graduates since 2014–15 (284 graduates in 2024–25).

Source:IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field), 2014–15 to 2024–25About the data(built 2026-10-12; CPI retrieved 2026-10-12)

Bachelor's degrees awarded July through June, by federal program name (), which can differ from what the college calls a major. A double major counts once, under the ; its other field is a . Earnings are College Scorecard's median for graduates of the program's broader field (), 4 years after completion; see Top-earning majors below.

Top-earning majors here

By earnings 4 years after completion

  1. Computer Science$127,217 4 yrs out

    1 year after completion: $86,268

    4 years after completion$127,217
    National median: $107,009Above typical

    4 years out, Pell: $107,364 · Non-Pell: $114,798(an older graduating class than the figure above — see the (i) for why)

    Median federal debt: $22,500 · 424 graduates, two most recent years combined

  2. Petroleum Engineering$116,691 4 yrs out

    1 year after completion: $77,400

    4 years after completion$116,691
    National median: $104,823Above typical

    4 years out, Pell: $99,112 · Non-Pell: $104,429(an older graduating class than the figure above — see the (i) for why)

    Median federal debt: $26,500 · 146 graduates, two most recent years combined

  3. Mining and Mineral Engineering$109,695 4 yrs out

    1 year after completion: $83,309

    4 years after completion$109,695
    National median: $101,390Above typical

    4 years out, Pell: $107,036 · Non-Pell: $104,799(an older graduating class than the figure above — see the (i) for why)

    Median federal debt: Too few graduates to report · 37 graduates, two most recent years combined

  4. Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering$106,012 4 yrs out

    1 year after completion: $80,815

    4 years after completion$106,012
    National median: $100,647Above typical

    4 years out, Pell: $95,854 · Non-Pell: $93,359(an older graduating class than the figure above — see the (i) for why)

    Median federal debt: $21,500 · 173 graduates, two most recent years combined

  5. Applied Mathematics$98,190 4 yrs out

    1 year after completion: $50,398

    4 years after completion$98,190
    National median: $91,532Above typical

    Median federal debt: $21,500 · 72 graduates, two most recent years combined

Bachelor's programs only, among graduates who received federal financial aid and were working (not enrolled in school) in the measurement year.

Students per faculty member vs. every college18 to 1
18 to 1
← Fewer students per facultymore students per faculty member than 83% of 1,892More students per faculty →

The college also reports 17 to 1 in its Common Data Set (6,958 students, 415 faculty).

Not the average class size: faculty also teach graduate students and do research, and large lectures can sit alongside small seminars.

Class sizes

20%

of classes have fewer than 20 students; 22% have 50 or more

Under 20 students 20 or moreStudents per class section
Undergraduate class sections by number of students
StudentssectionsShare
2–9457%
10–197813%
20–2916126%
30–398013%
40–4912019%
50–9910417%
100+345%

This counts class sections, not students: a lecture of 300 is one section, so a student is more likely to sit in a large class than the share of sections suggests. Labs and discussion sections are counted separately and left out here.

Programs & curriculum

  • Accelerated program
  • Distance learning
  • Double major
  • Dual enrollment
  • Domestic exchange program
  • Honors program
  • Independent study
  • Internships
  • Study abroad
  • Undergraduate research

Requires coursework in arts, computer literacy, history, physical education, humanities, math, philosophy, a natural science, and social science.

Full-time faculty73%
National median: 67%Above typical
Average faculty salary

$126,001

9-month equated, all ranks combined. Pay tracks local cost of living as much as a college's generosity.

Spending and endowment

Fiscal 2023–24. Compared only against other public colleges: public and private colleges report finances on different accounting forms that aren't comparable. Many public universities' endowments sit mostly in a separate foundation this survey doesn't count, so this likely understates what's actually available.

Instruction spending per student$20,431
$20,431
← Lessmore than 89% of 557More →
Endowment per student$54,188
$54,188
← Lessmore than 90% of 537More →

Sources:IPEDS Completions survey (degrees awarded by field), 2024–25 graduates;College Scorecard Field of Study data, most recent release;IPEDS Fall Enrollment survey (part D), Fall 2024;IPEDS Salaries survey (SAL, instructional staff, all ranks), Fall 2024;College Scorecard, Fall 2024;IPEDS Finance survey, derived per-student figures, 2023–24;Colorado School of Mines Common Data Set 2022–23, Fall 2022;Colorado School of Mines Common Data Set 2022–23, 2022–23;IPEDS Institutional Characteristics survey (athletics, programs, services, religious affiliation), 2025–26About the data(retrieved 2026-10-12)