Colorado · Economics

Best colleges for Economics in Colorado

Ranked by graduate earnings

Colorado College, University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus and University of Colorado Boulder are the top bachelor's Economics programs in Colorado by graduate earnings. Colorado College leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $58,082, College Scorecard. University of Colorado Boulder, University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus and Colorado State University - Fort Collins award the most Economics degrees in Colorado: 231, 145 and 119 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 17 Colorado colleges offer Economics and award 732 degrees and certificates a year in all.

The Economics program provides students with a comprehensive understanding of the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. It explores how economies function and how individuals respond to various incentives, making…

Institutions
17
offering CIP 45.06
States & territories
52
with a program page
Degrees / yr
732
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median starting salary
$51,521
1 yr after graduation, College Scorecard
With earnings data
7
College Scorecard
Median net price
$23,510
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
54%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Economists
$127,020
BLS OEWS May 2025

Top 7 bachelor's programs, ranked by graduate earnings

Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.

Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionStarting salary (1 yr)Graduates / yrGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1Colorado College
Colorado Springs Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree
$58,0822388%$23,510$18,250
2University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus
Denver Public · Bachelor's degree
$56,20114546%—$23,049
3University of Colorado Boulder
Boulder Public · Bachelor's degree
$51,52123174%—$17,119
4Colorado State University - Fort Collins
Fort Collins Public · Bachelor's degree
$48,46211967%—$24,000
5University of Northern Colorado
Greeley Public · Bachelor's degree
$45,2573151%—$21,000
6Western Colorado University
Gunnison Public · Bachelor's degree Small program
$53,403250%——
7University of Colorado Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs Public · Bachelor's degree Small program
$46,7481447%—$25,000

Colleges awarding the most Economics degrees in Colorado

Top 10 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Certificate and associate programs, online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.

Graduates / yr: degrees and certificates awarded in a year, IPEDS completions. Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionGraduates / yrStarting salary (1 yr)
1University of Colorado Boulder
Boulder Public
231$51,521
2University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus
Denver Public
145$56,201
3Colorado State University - Fort Collins
Fort Collins Public
119$48,462
4University of Denver
Denver Private not-for-profit
57Not reported
5Colorado School of Mines
Golden Public
52Not reported
6University of Northern Colorado
Greeley Public
31$45,257
7United States Air Force Academy
USAF Academy Public
24Not reported
8Colorado College
Colorado Springs Private not-for-profit
23$58,082
9Metropolitan State University of Denver
Denver Public
16Not reported
10University of Colorado Colorado Springs
Colorado Springs Public
14$46,748
Show the other 7 Colorado colleges offering Economics
InstitutionCityControlGraduates / yr
Fort Lewis CollegeDurangoPublic8
Red Rocks Community CollegeLakewoodPublic4
Front Range Community CollegeWestminsterPublic3
Western Colorado UniversityGunnisonPublic2
Colorado Christian UniversityLakewoodPrivate not-for-profit1
Community College of AuroraAuroraPublic1
Community College of DenverDenverPublic1

Career outlook

What this program leads to: Economists (SOC 19-3011).

Projected growth (2024–2034)
+1.2%
Little or no change
Openings / yr (US)
~900
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$115,440
typically Master's degree

Top skills

Critical ThinkingMathematicsReading ComprehensionSpeakingActive ListeningWriting

What Economists earn in Colorado

Jobs in Colorado
240
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$127,020
median $121,410
Best-paying metro
$127,170
Fort Collins-Loveland, CO

Related careers

Market Research Analysts and Marketing Specialists
$98,960 avg · 27,880 jobs
Data Scientists
$126,800 avg · 6,280 jobs
Statisticians
$114,520 avg · 780 jobs
Economics Teachers, Postsecondary
$110,430 avg · 270 jobs

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Economics programs in Colorado.

Which Colorado colleges award the most Economics degrees?+

University of Colorado Boulder (231 graduates a year), University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus (145 graduates a year) and Colorado State University - Fort Collins (119 graduates a year) award the most Economics degrees in Colorado, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 17 Colorado colleges offer Economics.

What is the best college for Economics in Colorado?+

By graduate earnings, Colorado College leads among bachelor's Economics programs in Colorado, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $58,082, College Scorecard. University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus and University of Colorado Boulder follow. By degrees awarded, University of Colorado Boulder is the largest, with 231 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).

Which Economics program in Colorado has the highest-earning graduates?+

By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Colorado College tops the list at $58,082. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

How much do Economists earn in Colorado?+

The average annual wage for Economists in Colorado is $127,020 (median $121,410), across about 240 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.

What is the focus of the Economics program?+

The Economics program provides students with a comprehensive understanding of the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. It explores how economies function and how individuals respond to various incentives, making…

What skills will I develop in this program?+

You will develop critical thinking, mathematics, reading comprehension, speaking, and related professional skills.

What is the job outlook for Economists?+

The national job outlook is about +1.2% growth with around 900 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).

What is the typical education requirement?+

A Master's degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).

About the data on this page

Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
PSEO graduate earnings2019–21 graduation cohorts (release V4.13.0)
Earnings and employment outcomes of graduates by institution, degree level, and field of study, measured from state wage records.
BLS wages & outlookOEWS May 2025 release
Occupational employment and wage estimates plus 10-year job outlook, used to connect programs to real-world earnings.
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.

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