Mines by the Numbers
91%
retention from first to second year (fall 2020)
6
RMAC All-Sports Competition Cup wins
200+
student organizations on campus
$87M
in research awards in FY2021
18
intercollegiate athletic teams at Mines
$289M
Mines endowment as of June 2019
7,172
undergraduate, graduate, and non-degree students for fall 2021
$463.68M
invested by donors in FY2020
#1
largest collegiate section of the Society of Women Engineers
92, 92, 96
percentages of bachelor’s, master’s and PhD graduates who had positive outcomes upon graduation in 2020-21
COST OF ATTENDANCE
For the latest tuition and fees, visit Financial Aid.
ADMISSIONS
Mines admissions takes a holistic approach to its highly selective undergraduate admissions process. More than 13,000 students vie each year for about 1,500 spots in the entering class, made up of about 1,300 first-year and 200 transfer students.
More than 1,500 graduate students from around the world create a stimulating residential and online environment that enriches the Mines educational experience. State of the art research facilities including more than 40 specialized centers, a strong interdisciplinary teaching and research focus and low student-to-faculty ratio offer a personalized education and encourage students to investigate problems from real-world perspectives.
Mines’ reputation and high admission standards, as well as its alumni network in industry, government and academic institutions, contribute to a consistently high positive career outcomes rate of around 95% across degree levels and disciplines.
- About 13,000 undergraduate applications received
- About 6,000 undergraduate students accepted
- About 1,300 undergraduate students enroll
- 3.81-4.00 middle 50% unweighted GPA
- 33% women
- 28.5% underrepresented students
- 15.4% first-generation students
ENROLLMENT
In fall 2021, 7,172 students from 50 states and 80 countries were enrolled in 70 undergraduate and graduate degree programs. 57.7 percent were Colorado residents.
Fall 2021 Enrollment
- 5,443 undergraduate students; 1,449 freshmen
- 1,658 graduate students (master’s and doctoral)
31.4% of students were female; 8.3% were international
For more information about Mines enrollment statistics, visit Institutional Research.
AVERAGE CLASS SIZE
- 34 students
- Mines has an undergraduate student/instructional faculty ratio of 16:1
RETENTION AND GRADUATION RATES
- 91% of freshmen return for sophomore year (fall 2020 entering new student class)
- 83.0% 6-year graduation rate (fall 2015 entering class)
- Mines awarded 1,676 degrees in FY 2021
For more information on Mines graduation statistics, visit Institutional Research.
ACCREDITATION
- Colorado School of Mines is accredited through the doctoral degree by the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association.
- The undergraduate engineering programs at Mines are accredited by the Engineering Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET).
JOB PLACEMENT AND AVERAGE STARTING SALARIES
- 2020-21 graduates (BS) placed at 92% either working in the industry or going onto graduate school
- Average starting salary $73,418 (BS)
For more information on student outcome data view the Career Center Annual Report.
FACULTY AND STAFF
Mines faculty include more than 625 tenured and tenure-track faculty, research faculty, teaching faculty and industry professionals providing students with a diverse range of expertise and perspectives.
Staff provide student support services as well as administrative and program support in a student centered environment.
RESEARCH
The nexus between the earth, the environment and society’s need to generate and distribute energy in an economic and sustainable way is central to Mines’ specialized mission. In FY 2021, research awards totaled more than $100 million, with roughly 44 percent funded by non-federal sources.
CAMPUS
Mines is located in the mountain town of Golden, Colorado (Pop. 20,000), 25 minutes west of Denver and easily accessible by air via Denver International Airport. The 373-acre campus is a blend of historic buildings and modern facilities including 17 buildings built or renovated in the past 10 years. The newest building, CoorsTek Center for Applied Science and Engineering, opened in 2018 and is the largest research building on campus.
ALUMNI
Mines has more than 28,000 devoted and enthusiastic alumni. Employers around the world seek Mines graduates for their preparation and ability to work well in teams.
ATHLETICS
The Orediggers are part of NCAA Division II and the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference (RMAC) with 18 teams. In 2020, for the fifth year in a row, Mines captured the RMAC All-Sports Competition Cup, which measures overall department excellence among the RMAC’s 15 members.
The Colorado School of Mines mascots are Blaster the Burro (often seen running the field after touchdowns at Marv Kay Stadium) and Marvin the Miner (often seen, well… it’s more of a fast walk).