SmartAsset, a company centered around financial advice, has released its seventh annual study on the colleges that give students the best return on their educational investment. To find the top colleges in Colorado, SmartAsset measured categories, including scholarships provided, starting salary, tuition, living costs, and retention rate.
Check out the top-ranked schools in Colorado below:
| Rank | School | City | Avg. Scholarships and Grants | Avg. Starting Salary | College Tuition* | Student Living Costs | Student Retention Rate | College Education Value Index |
| 1 | Colorado School of Mines | Golden, CO | $11,411 | $75,800 | $18,964 | $16,534 | 92% | 78.64 |
| 2 | Colorado State University-Fort Collins | Fort Collins, CO | $9,456 | $54,500 | $11,707 | $14,524 | 84% | 51.41 |
| 3 | University of Colorado Boulder | Boulder, CO | $11,198 | $58,600 | $12,532 | $18,512 | 87% | 48.75 |
| 4 | Colorado College | Colorado Springs, CO | $38,203 | $54,100 | $55,470 | $16,172 | 96% | 42.44 |
| 5 | Regis University | Denver, CO | $18,538 | $57,000 | $36,810 | $16,382 | 84% | 39.07 |
| 6 | Colorado Mesa University | Grand Junction, CO | $7,133 | $49,500 | $8,627 | $15,515 | 74% | 36.85 |
| 7 | University of Denver | Denver, CO | $30,364 | $57,000 | $50,556 | $17,100 | 85% | 36.85 |
| 8 | University of Colorado Colorado Springs | Colorado Springs, CO | $6,851 | $53,100 | $8,523 | $17,320 | 70% | 35.47 |
| 9 | University of Northern Colorado | Greeley, CO | $8,004 | $48,700 | $9,918 | $15,576 | 72% | 34.30 |
| 10 | Fort Lewis College | Durango, CO | $14,208 | $49,000 | $9,040 | $16,388 | 62% | 33.55 |
More details on the study, including the methodology and interactive map, can be found at: smartasset.com.