Best Physics Schools Near Golden, CO (2026)

Updated September 5, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Golden, Colorado has 5 accredited schools offering physics programs, with tuition ranging from $21,914 to $78,476 per year for indexed programs. Golden has a population of about 20,467. Median household income is $95,913 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 59.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metro area, the top-earning physics-related role is Physicists at a median $166,140 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Closest Physics Schools to Golden

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer physics programs near Golden, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Golden city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Golden. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

Sort:
#1

Colorado School of Mines

Golden, CO 1.0 miles from Golden
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
  • Accredited
79.3 BOC Score
Acceptance rate 61%
Graduation rate 81%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $97,335
Avg net price $28,690/yr
Tuition
In‑state$21,914
Out‑of‑state$45,824
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 93%
  • Programs offered: 39

Source:Accreditor: Higher Learning CommissionIPEDSCollege Scorecard

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Colorado schools on the Colorado physics page.

Physics Wages Near Golden

Golden is part of the Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO metro area (BLS area code 19740). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Colorado statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Physicists $166,140 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $157,032
Biochemists and Biophysicists N/A CO statewide –
Physics Teachers, Postsecondary $100,770 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $95,246
Mathematicians $86,020 CO statewide $81,304
Atmospheric and Space Scientists $85,440 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $80,756
Engineers, All Other $131,740 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $124,518
Software Developers $137,610 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $130,066
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $79,230 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $74,887

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.

Golden at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 20,467 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $95,913 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 59.0% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 105.8 (above U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Golden-Area Cities With Physics Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited physics schools are near Golden, CO?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering physics programs near Golden. The closest is Colorado School of Mines in Golden, CO (1.0 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is University of Denver (13.9 miles). 5 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying physics roles near Golden?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying physics-related roles near Golden are: Physicists ($166,140), Software Developers ($137,610), Engineers, All Other ($131,740). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Colorado statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in Lakewood instead of Golden?

Lakewood, CO is 5.9 miles from Golden and has its own set of local physics programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Golden an affordable place to study physics?

Golden’s median household income of $95,913 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Golden while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Colorado public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.

Learn More About Physics Programs

Other Programs Available in Golden

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Golden:

Data verified: September 5, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.

Back to Best Physics Schools in Colorado: Online Programs (2026)