Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering • Golden, CO • Campus • $725/Credit (In-State, incl. fees, derived)
Colorado School of Mines offers one construction program, the B.S. in Construction Engineering, launched in fall 2023 inside its civil and environmental engineering department.
Program Pathways Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| B.S. | $92.0K in-state / $192.0K out-of-state | 4 years (8 semesters + 1 summer) | 127 |
Tuition estimates use Mines’ 2026-27 flat-rate tuition (after the College Opportunity Fund stipend for residents) plus mandatory fees.
- Why choose it: Mines’ B.S. is a full engineering degree with a construction major on top: Calculus I-III, differential equations, statics, mechanics of materials, structural analysis, soil mechanics, and foundation engineering, plus construction estimating, controls, methods, safety, and construction law.
- Trade-off: The degree is still seeking ABET EAC accreditation, it costs more than the other Colorado public programs profiled here, and it does not require an internship.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Credentials Offered | B.S. Construction Engineering; 4+1 B.S./M.S. option |
| Format | Campus |
| Campus Location | Golden |
| Credit Hours | 127 |
| Internship | Not required; required summer Engineering Field Session (CEEN 331, 3 credits) |
| Programmatic Accreditation | Seeking ABET EAC (not yet accredited) |
| Math | Calculus I-III, differential equations, statistics |
| Capstone | Two-semester Capstone Design with industry-sponsored BUILD projects |
| Tuition | $9,900/semester in-state after COF, $22,395 out-of-state, plus $1,603 fees |
B.S. Construction Engineering
The estimated tuition for the B.S. in Construction Engineering at Colorado School of Mines is approximately $92,024 in-state or $191,984 out-of-state (8 flat-rate semesters at $11,503 or $23,998 with mandatory fees, derived).
The program can generally be completed in about 4 years (8 semesters plus a summer field session), per the Mines catalog plan.
B.S. Curriculum
The 127 credits follow a fixed engineering sequence, with construction courses starting in the sophomore year.
- Math and science: Calculus I, II, and III, Differential Equations, Introduction to Statistics, Principles of Chemistry I, Physics I (Mechanics), and a distributed science course tied to a Material/Environmental, Underground, or Robotics track.
- Engineering mechanics: CEEN 241 Statics, CEEN 311 Mechanics of Materials, CEEN 310 Fluid Mechanics, CEEN 314 Structural Analysis, and CEEN 350 Civil and Construction Engineering Materials.
- Geotechnical: CEEN 312 Soil Mechanics with lab and CEEN 415 Foundation Engineering.
- Construction: CEEN 320 Introduction to Construction Engineering, CEEN 322 Estimating, Planning and Scheduling, CEEN 321 Construction Methods, CEEN 324 Project Administration and Controls, and CEEN 424 Integrated Design and Construction.
- Law, safety, and economics: CEEN 427 Construction and Design Law, CEEN 422 Human Factors and Safety in Construction, and EBGN 321 Engineering Economics.
- Technical electives (three courses): options include steel, wood, and reinforced concrete design, highway engineering, surveying and infrastructure design, cementitious materials, seismic design, and rock mechanics.
- Design sequence: Cornerstone Design I, Design II: Civil Engineering, and the two-semester Capstone Design.
Eight courses (24 credits) are construction, law, safety, or economics; the rest is an engineering curriculum close to civil engineering. A student finishes able to analyze structures and foundations, which is what separates this degree from Colorado’s management-track programs. The technical electives can push it toward structures, transportation, or underground work.
More curriculum details are available here.
You Should Know
- EBGN 321 Engineering Economics requires 60 completed credits, which can push it to junior year.
- The catalog lists one technical elective (GEGN 466) twice and gives no credit value for CEEN 429.
- Some technical electives, such as CEEN 448 Structural Loads, run only every third semester.
B.S. Internship and Field Experience
- Field session: CEEN 331 Engineering Field Session, Civil (3 credits), in the summer after sophomore year.
- Industry projects: BUILD projects sponsored by industry feed the field session and capstone, covering site planning, cost monitoring, safety, contracts, risk, and scheduling, per Mines.
- Internship: not required; Mines says large civil and construction firms recruit its students for internships.
- Recruiters named: Hecla Mining, Jacobs, Merrick and Company, Newmont, and Sempra.
- Kiewit Scholars Program: a joint program with Kiewit offering financial aid and industry exposure.
- Outcomes: median starting salary of $72,000 for recent graduates, per Mines (program scope and year not stated).
The field session and industry-sponsored capstone give every student structured project work, but summer internships are left to the student. Most of the named recruiters are mining, energy, and engineering firms rather than general contractors, which fits the degree’s heavy civil and underground leanings.
B.S. Admissions
Admission is to Mines, with priority, regular, and late deadlines; the major can be declared after enrolling.
- Fall 2027 deadlines: November 1 (priority), January 15 (regular), April 1 (late); transfers May 1 (domestic).
- Math readiness: the plan starts with Calculus I in the first semester.
- 4+1: a combined B.S./M.S. is available; graduate options include underground construction and tunneling.
Tuition
For 2026-27, Mines lists resident tuition of $19,800 a year after the College Opportunity Fund stipend and nonresident tuition of $44,790, both flat for 15-19 credits per semester, plus $3,206 a year in mandatory fees. See Mines’ cost of attendance page.
| Charge | Colorado Resident | Nonresident |
|---|---|---|
| Tuition per semester (15-19 credits) | $9,900 | $22,395 |
| Mandatory fees per semester | $1,603 | $1,603 |
| Semester total | $11,503 | $23,998 |
| B.S. total, 8 semesters (derived) | $92,024 | $191,984 |
Be aware that:
- The required summer field session (3 credits) is billed separately and is not included; Mines’ bursar page still shows 2024-25 summer rates.
- Semesters under 15 credits are not in the flat band; the catalog plan keeps every semester at 15 or 16.
- The resident figure assumes the College Opportunity Fund stipend is authorized.
- Mines’ cost-of-attendance page does not list a WUE rate.
At about $92,000 for residents, Mines costs about $28,000 more than Colorado State’s ACCE B.S. ($63,726) and about $26,700 more than CU Denver’s construction engineering B.S. ($65,362). The premium buys the full engineering science sequence and the Mines name, not a broader construction management curriculum.
Why Choose This Construction Management Program?
Best suited for strong math and science students who want to be construction engineers, with a path to the FE exam and PE license, rather than construction managers.
Versus CU Denver’s engineering route. CU Denver’s B.S. in Construction Engineering and Management also pairs calculus with construction and claims ABET EAC accreditation, at a lower resident price. Mines adds Calculus III, differential equations, structural analysis, and foundation engineering, and is still seeking ABET.
Heavy civil and underground interests. Track choices, rock mechanics and highway electives, a tunneling graduate path, and mining and energy recruiters suit students drawn to infrastructure rather than buildings.
Not for career changers. The fixed calculus-first sequence and flat full-time tuition leave little room for working adults; Colorado’s management-track programs fit that student better.
Accreditation and Credentials
Colorado School of Mines is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, which supports credit transfer and federal financial aid eligibility.
The B.S. in Construction Engineering is seeking accreditation from ABET’s Engineering Accreditation Commission, per Mines; it is not yet accredited. EAC accreditation is the usual educational basis for the FE and PE exams, so students aiming at licensure should watch the accreditation outcome and confirm with the Colorado licensing board. The degree is not on ACCE’s baccalaureate list (Rev. 2024.03.13).
Mines does not name an embedded construction certification and does not state that the degree counts toward a Colorado contractor license.