About Colorado School of Mines
Preparing distinctive STEM graduates since 1874
About Mines
- Top-rated career return on investment (ROI) among peer institutions by Georgetown University
- #1 best college in Colorado by Niche, 2026
- Top 40 best colleges in America for engineering by Niche, 2026
1921
Loan began with Edgar Mine, one of only two university-run mines in the U.S.
1883
First formal commencement, graduating William Middleton and Walter Wiley
1919
One of the first four
colleges in the U.S.
to establish ROTC
History of Mines
Golden, first known as Golden City, was established in 1859 and served as a supply center for miners and settlers in the area. By 1866, Bishop George M. Randall arrived in the territory and, seeing a need for higher education facilities in the area, began planning for a university that would include a school of mines. In 1870, he opened the Jarvis Hall Collegiate School in a building just south of the town of Golden. In 1873, Mines opened under the auspices of the Episcopal Church and in 1874 the School of Mines became a territorial institution and has been a state institution since 1876 when Colorado attained statehood.
Jarvis Hall and School of Mines
Bishop George M. Randall
The first Colorado School of Mines Board of Trustees meeting was held in 1874, the first formal commencement for two graduates was held in 1883, the first international student graduated in 1889, and the first female student graduated in 1898.
Courses offered to students during the early years of Colorado School of Mines included chemistry, metallurgy, mineralogy, mining engineering, geology, botany, math and drawing. The focus of the early academic programs was on gold and silver, and the assaying of those minerals. As the institution grew, its mission expanded to focus specifically on understanding the Earth, harnessing energy and sustaining the environment.
For additional Mines history, see the catalogs, yearbooks, pictures, building plans and unpublished histories housed in the Wood Archives on the lower level of Mines’ Arthur Lakes Library, 1400 Illinois St.
for life beyond the classroom.
Solving Grand Challenges
The Mines curriculum is broad and rigorous with an emphasis on hands-on experiences and collaborative approaches. Students and faculty are advancing the frontiers of knowledge in areas such as mineral exploration and subsurface characterization; renewable energy sources and technology; advanced water treatment; robotics and high-performance computing.
8,058
degree-seeking undergraduate and graduate students
Global Research Leaders
Mines Research in a Minute
From glaciology to tunneling to the Moon, Mines researchers are pushing the boundaries of what’s possible through unique and world-renowned interdisciplinary research projects and partnerships.
Confidence and collaboration
are Oredigger qualities
More than STEM
Design
E-Days
Activities
18
intercollegiate athletics
teams at Mines
An adventure’s
playground
Our Hometown is Golden
8,000
acres of regional open space surrounding Golden