Biomedical/Medical Engineering at University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus

The small sample size here requires caution, but the data reveals a program that significantly underperforms national benchmarks while sitting right at Colorado's state median for biomedical engineering earnings. First-year graduates earn $55,550—about $9,000 below the national median and virtually identical to the state's $56,040 median. The 22nd percentile national ranking is concerning for a field that typically commands strong early-career salaries, though the exceptionally low debt load of $29,625 (5th percentile nationally) provides meaningful protection.

Here's the practical reality: your child would graduate with roughly the same debt and earnings profile as biomedical engineering graduates elsewhere in Colorado, but they'd be starting nearly 15% behind their peers nationally. The 0.53 debt-to-earnings ratio is manageable, and that relatively modest debt matters when you're earning below typical biomedical engineering salaries. With only three programs in Colorado and just 30 or fewer recent graduates tracked here, these numbers could shift considerably with a larger sample.

For families prioritizing debt minimization, this program delivers on that front. But if your child has options at more competitive biomedical engineering programs—particularly out of state—the earnings gap suggests those might be worth the comparison, even at slightly higher cost. The combination of a 78% admission rate and below-average outcomes indicates this isn't the most selective pathway into a field where program reputation and employer connections often drive starting salaries.