Colorado School of Mines
Golden, Colorado · Public · 6,155 undergraduates · mines.edu
Test policy (fall 2027)
Test optional
Sending scores is your choice
Admit rate
61%
of applicants
SAT (middle 50%)
1340 to 1460
of enrolled freshmen
Annual cost (2027-28)
$45,610Est.Estimate
$72,210 out of state
Your chances and merit aid at Colorado School of Mines
See where you stand for admission, how much merit aid you could get, and what you'd pay after it.
We started you at a typical enrolled freshman here. Move the sliders to match you.
Your admission chances
61% of applicants admitted
Target
Your SAT is inside the range where the middle half of enrolled freshmen scored.
Estimated merit aid
a year
Your cost after merit aid
$72,210
a year in 2027-28, from a $72,210 sticker price (out of state)
What to do with your 1400
Send your score
Your SAT is at or above the median of freshmen who sent scores (1400).
Reach, target and likely are a rough guide from your test score and how selective the college is. Admissions also weigh your courses, grades, essays and activities. Merit aid figures are estimates, before any need-based aid.
Admissions
Test policy for fall 2027
Test optional
You choose whether to send an SAT or ACT score. If you send one, it's considered.
- Superscores: it combines your best section scores from different test dates.
- You can type your scores into the application; official reports come later.
Source: First-Year Admission Requirements - Undergraduate Admissions · Checked October 16, 2026
Application deadlines
- Nov1Early Action · November 1, 2026Apply early and hear early. Not binding.
- Jan15Regular Decision · January 15, 2027The standard deadline.
Who gets in
61%
of applicants are admitted.
Early Decision
Binding.
Wait list
765 students were offered a spot; 6 were later admitted.
Test scores of enrolled freshmen (fall 2022)
The shaded part shows the middle half of enrolled freshmen who sent scores: a quarter scored below it and a quarter above. 45% of them sent SAT scores and 24% sent ACT scores.
SAT total 1340 to 1460
Reading and Writing 650 to 728
Math 680 to 760
ACT composite 30 to 33
How enrolled freshmen scored on the SAT
- 1400 to 160053%
- 1200 to 139946%
- 1000 to 11991.6%
- 800 to 9990%
- 600 to 7990%
- 400 to 5990%
Source: Common Data Set 2022-2023
Cost and financial aid
The sticker price is what a year costs before any aid. Most students pay less after grants and scholarships.
Sticker price for 2027-28Estimate
$45,610
a year, in state
$72,210
a year, out of state (tuition $46,810)
- Tuition (in state)$20,210
- Fees$2,910
- Food and housing$18,590
- Books and supplies$1,730
- Transportation and other$2,170
Colorado School of Mines published $39,529 in state for 2022-23. Its 2027-28 prices aren't out yet.
Source: Common Data Set 2022-2023
What families actually pay
What a year cost on average after grants and scholarships, for freshmen who got federal aid in 2023-24 (in-state students), by family income.
- $0 to $30,000$21,504
- $30,001 to $48,000$22,896
- $48,001 to $75,000$23,913
- $75,001 to $110,000$28,115
- Over $110,000$38,429
Financial aid
67%
of a student's financial need is covered, on average
$5,433
average need-based grant to freshmen, money you don't repay
- FAFSA
- Required for need-based aid. It's the free federal aid form.
- CSS Profile
- Not required. Only the FAFSA is needed.
- Aid priority date: 3/1
- Send your aid forms by this date to be first in line for the college's grant money.
Source: Common Data Set 2022-2023
AP credit
AP exams that earn credit can replace college courses, so you pay for fewer of them and may graduate sooner.
AP exams that earn credit
36 of 36
Earn credit with a score of 3
10 exams
A 3-credit course is worth
about $2,020Est.Estimate
at 2027-28 tuition for in-state students
Credit for each AP exam
| Exam | Score needed | Credits | Counts as |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-D Art and Design | 4 | 3 | FREE 1XX |
| 3-D Art and Design | 4 | 3 | FREE 1XX |
| African American Studies | 4 | 3 | FREE 1XX |
| Art History | 4 | 3 | FREE 1XX |
| Biology | 3 | 3 | FREE 1XX |
| Biology | 4 | 3 | Challenge Exam, Biology 1, If student does not pass the Challenge Exam, FREE 1XX for 3 credit hours is awarded |
| Biology | 5 | 3 | CBEN 110, CBEN 120 |
| Calculus AB | 4 | 3 | MATH 111 |
| Calculus BC | 4 | 3 | MATH 111 |
| Calculus BC | 5 | 3 | MATH 111 and MATH 112 |
| Calculus BC: AB Subscore | 4 | 3 | Math 111 |
| Chemistry | 3 | 3 | FREE 1XX |
| Chemistry | 4 | 3 | CHGN 121 |
| Chemistry | 5 | 3 | CHGN 121, CHGN 122 |
| Chinese Language and Culture | 4 | 6 | LIFL 1XX |
| Comparative Government and Politics | 4 | 3 | FREE 1XX |
| Computer Science A | 4 | 3 | CSCI 128 |
| Computer Science Principles | 4 | 3 | FREE 1XX (Starting spring 2024) |
| Drawing | 4 | 3 | FREE 1XX |
| English Language and Composition | 3 | 3 | FREE 1XX |
| English Language and Composition | 5 | 3 | HASS 110 (must also complete HASS 111 to fulfill NHV requirement) |
| English Literature and Composition | 3 | 3 | FREE 1XX |
| English Literature and Composition | 5 | 3 | HASS 110 (must also complete HASS 111 to fulfill NHV requirement) |
| Environmental Science | 4 | 3 | FREE 1XX |
| European History | 4 | 3 | FREE 1XX |
| French Language and Culture | 4 | 6 | LIFL 1XX |
| German Language and Culture | 4 | 6 | LIFL 1XX |
| Human Geography | 4 | 3 | FREE 1XX |
| Italian Language and Culture | 4 | 6 | LIFL 1XX |
| Japanese Language and Culture | 4 | 6 | LIFL 1XX |
| Latin | 4 | 6 | LIFL 1XX |
| Macroeconomics | 4 | 3 | EBGN 201 (Students admitted after summer 2021) |
| Microeconomics | 4 | 3 | EBGN 201 (Students admitted after summer 2021) |
| Music Theory | 4 | 3 | FREE 1XX |
| Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism | 4 | 3 | Challenge Exam, PHGN 200, If student does not pass the Challenge Exam, FREE 1XX for 3 credit hours is awarded |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 4 | 3 | Challenge exam, PHGN 100, If student does not pass the Challenge Exam, FREE 1XX for 3 credit hours is awarded |
| Physics C: Mechanics | 5 | 3 | PHGN 100 |
| Psychology | 3 | 3 | FREE 1XX |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 3 | 3 | FREE 1XX |
| Spanish Language and Culture | 4 | 6 | LIFL 1XX |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 3 | 3 | FREE 1XX |
| Spanish Literature and Culture | 4 | 6 | LIFL 1XX |
| Statistics | 4 | 3 | MATH 201 |
| United States Government and Politics | 3 | 3 | FREE 1XX |
| United States History | 3 | 3 | FREE 1XX |
| World History: Modern | 3 | 3 | FREE 1XX |
Source: AP credit policy
After college
Graduate within 6 years
82%
Come back for a second year
93%
Typical earnings
$102,077
a year, 10 years after starting here
- Colorado School of Mines$99,530
- All colleges$97,556
Median yearly earnings of graduates five years after finishing a bachelor's in this major. 13 majors here have earnings data.
Keep exploring
Figures marked Estimate are our estimates, not numbers the college published. Check each college's own site before you apply. SAT is a trademark of College Board, and ACT is a trademark of ACT, Inc. Sharp is not affiliated with either, or with Colorado School of Mines. The Colorado School of Mines logo is a trademark of the college.