College Profiles/ Colorado School of Mines
College Profile · Fall 2027 Entry
Colorado School of Mines Admissions: Acceptance Rate, Cost, Financial Aid and Deadlines
Golden, CO · 6,155 undergraduates. Everything families need to apply to Colorado School of Mines for fall 2027, verified against the school’s own Common Data Set, cost of attendance and admissions pages, with ConnectPrep’s strategic read.
By Jeremy Fine, Founder of ConnectPrep
Updated October 11, 2026 · Data verified against official sources
✓ Every figure cited
Quick answer
Colorado School of Mines admitted 60.7% of first-year applicants.[1] The 2026-27 cost of attendance is $46,480 for in-state students and $71,470 out of state.[2] For fall 2027 entry, deadlines are Early Action Nov 1 (priority/EA), Regular Decision Jan 15.[3]
60.7%
Overall admit rate[1]
29 to 33
Middle 50% ACT[1]
$71,470
Out-of-state cost, 2026-27[2]
81.7%
Six-year graduation rate[1]
Colorado School of Mines at a Glance
- Location
- Golden, CO
- Type
- Public
- Student to faculty ratio
- 18:1[1]
- Endowment
- $386 million (federal data)[1]
- SAT/ACT, fall 2027
- Optional[3]
- Application
- Common App, Golden App[3]
- First-year retention
- 92.8%[1]
The ConnectPrep Take on Colorado School of Mines
The ConnectPrep take
Mines is a focused STEM university that runs one holistic review for both admission and merit scholarships, reading grades, short responses, recommendations, and test scores when submitted. Federal data shows a 60.7% admit rate, so admission is realistic for a prepared student; merit is where the calendar matters. Early Action applicants who file by the Nov 1 priority deadline get admission and merit decisions by Dec 15, while Regular Decision closes Jan 15. Mines is test optional and superscores. Federal data puts the middle 50% math score at 670 to 750, so we want your student at 710 or higher and aiming for 750. Federal data also shows median earnings of $97,335 ten years after entry. The mistake we see is waiting until Jan 15 and then missing the separate Mar 1 scholarship application.
What to do this fall
- Apply by Nov 1 and select Early Action to receive both the admission and merit decision by Dec 15.
- Colorado residents should check Golden Guarantee criteria; qualifying fall 2027 entrants who apply by Nov 1 receive at least $2,000 a year.
- Submit the separate General Scholarship Application by Mar 1 for best consideration.
- Send a superscored math section of 710 or higher, and aim for 750 if a retake is realistic.
Applying to Colorado School of Mines? Get a free strategy session. We map your student’s round, testing plan, essays and every scholarship deadline for this school.
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Colorado School of Mines Admissions Statistics
Testing and academic profile
| Academic profile of enrolled first-years |
Middle 50% or share |
| SAT Evidence-Based Reading and Writing[1] |
650 to 730 |
| SAT Math[1] |
670 to 750 |
| ACT composite[1] |
29 to 33 |
The admit rate and test score ranges on this page come from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard, which reports an earlier entering class than the school’s newest Common Data Set.[1]
ConnectPrep score target
Aim for 730 in Reading and Writing and 750 in Math, the 75th percentile for each section here, or 33 on the ACT. A higher score is always better, and the test can be retaken. Not there yet? Take a free practice test and we will build the plan to close the gap.
What Colorado School of Mines looks for
In its own words: Mines uses a holistic review process for both admission and merit scholarship consideration, looking at grades, test scores if submitted, short responses and letters of recommendation, and gives applications equal consideration with or without test scores.[3]
Colorado School of Mines Application Deadlines 2026-2027
| Round |
Deadline |
Decision |
| Early Action |
Nov 1 (priority/EA) |
by Dec 15 |
| Regular Decision |
Jan 15 |
by Feb 15 |
Insider deadlines families miss
These scholarship, honors, program, interview and aid deadlines come from Colorado School of Mines’s own pages. Anything tagged Before RD is due before the Regular Decision deadline.
| Program or rule |
Deadline |
What to know |
| Merit scholarship with Early Action |
Nov 1 |
Merit is automatic; EA applicants by Nov 1 get admission and merit decisions by Dec 15.[3] |
| General Scholarship Application (Trailhead) |
Mar 1 |
Separate application for best consideration by Mar 1; some scholarship programs have earlier deadlines.[3] |
| Honors programs |
See note |
Separate application for admitted students opens in December; space is limited.[3] |
See how Colorado School of Mines compares with other colleges in the West deadlines database or the full 2026-2027 college application deadlines hub.
Colorado School of Mines Cost and Financial Aid
| Cost and aid |
Figure |
| Cost of attendance, in-state (2026-2027)[2] |
$46,480 |
| Cost of attendance, out-of-state (2026-2027)[2] |
$71,470 |
Non-resident undergraduate living on campus (double room and average meal plan); plus $3,206 in fees. Colorado residents: $46,480 total with $19,800 tuition after the College Opportunity Fund stipend.[2]
What families actually pay: net price by income
Net price is the full cost of attendance minus the average grants and scholarships for first-year in-state students receiving aid, by family income. It comes from federal data, which runs a year or two behind the school’s current cost figures.[1]
| Family income |
Average net price per year |
| $0 to $30,000 |
$16,849 |
| $30,001 to $48,000 |
$18,162 |
| $48,001 to $75,000 |
$22,192 |
| $75,001 to $110,000 |
$28,183 |
| Over $110,000 |
$35,112 |
| All aided students |
$28,690 |
Academics and Majors at Colorado School of Mines
Signature programs
Mines Golden Guarantee
Colorado residents graduating from a Colorado high school who meet GPA (or GPA plus test) and math and science course criteria and apply by November 1 receive guaranteed admission and at least a $2,000 per year merit scholarship, starting with fall 2027 entrants.[5]
Thorson First-Year Honors
A humanities-based honors experience for STEM students who want to stay connected to literature, the arts and debate.[6]
Grandey First-Year Honors
A leadership-based honors experience focused on leadership, communication, ethics, systems thinking and design.[6]
Career outcomes
Mines reports that 87 percent of 2025 graduates landed jobs or were admitted to graduate programs, with more than 1,250 employers recruiting each year.[4]
Choosing a major and getting in
Mines is a focused STEM university and admits first-year students through a holistic review used for both admission and merit scholarships. Students who apply by the November 1 priority deadline and select Early Action receive a decision by December 15; regular applicants apply by January 15, and later applications are reviewed on a rolling basis as space allows.[3]
Special admission paths
- Priority (Early Action) deadline November 1.[6]
- Mines Golden Guarantee for qualifying Colorado residents (fall 2027 and later).[6]
- First-Year Honors (Thorson and Grandey): admitted students are invited to apply.[6]
Colorado School of Mines Retention and Graduation Rates
| Outcome |
Figure |
| First-year students who returned for sophomore year[1] |
92.8% |
| Graduated within six years[1] |
81.7% |
| Median earnings 10 years after starting college[1] |
$97,335 |
| Median federal loan debt of graduates[1] |
$23,000 |
| Undergraduates receiving Pell Grants[1] |
14% |
Make Colorado School of Mines a realistic goal
ConnectPrep builds the full plan: the right round, a score target and test schedule, essays that sound like your student, and every scholarship and program deadline on one calendar. Start with a free consultation or a free practice test.
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Colorado School of Mines FAQs
What is the Colorado School of Mines acceptance rate?
Colorado School of Mines admitted 60.7% of first-year applicants.
When are the Colorado School of Mines application deadlines for 2026-27?
For students entering in fall 2027: Early Action Nov 1 (priority/EA); Regular Decision Jan 15.
How much does Colorado School of Mines cost?
The 2026-2027 cost of attendance is $46,480 for in-state students and $71,470 for out-of-state students.
What does Colorado School of Mines cost?
For 2026-2027, the estimated cost of attendance is $71,470 for a nonresident living on campus and $46,480 for a Colorado resident. Federal data shows an average net price of $22,192 for families earning $48,001 to $75,000 and an overall average net price of $28,690. Merit is decided in the same review as admission.
What is the Mines Golden Guarantee?
Starting with fall 2027 entrants, Colorado residents graduating from a Colorado high school who meet GPA, or GPA plus test, and math and science course criteria and apply by Nov 1 receive guaranteed admission and at least a $2,000 per year merit scholarship. That Nov 1 date matches the priority Early Action deadline.
About the author
Jeremy Fine
Jeremy Fine founded ConnectPrep in 2013 and brings more than 20 years of experience in education, spanning test preparation, college advising and academic program management. He holds a BA from Washington University in St. Louis and an MPA from the University of Pittsburgh.
ConnectPrep is based in Westport, Connecticut, and works with students from kindergarten through graduate school, in person and online. Meet the team.
This profile is an independent ConnectPrep resource and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Colorado School of Mines. Figures come from the sources listed above as published when checked in October 2026; the Common Data Set year is noted where used. Policies and costs change, so confirm with the school before applying.
