The Rocky Mountains are as impressive as the states they span. Also known as the Rockies, this range offer beautiful vistas, unique wildlife, challenging hikes, and great skiing, but the states also offer amazing schools and educational opportunities.
For this list, we’re including the following states in the Rocky Mountain region: Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Utah, and Wyoming.
Ready to see some colleges as mighty as the mountains? Check out the best Rocky Mountain colleges below.
Top 25 Best Rocky Mountain Colleges
The United States Air Force Academy has over 4,000 students attending. The school has an 11% acceptance rate and is extremely competitive as nominations are divided among Congressional districts. Their motto is “Integrity First, Service before self, Excellence in all we do.” Their mascot is, appropriately, the Falcon.
Location
USAFA, CO
Institution Type
Public
Student Enrollment
4,304
The programs offered at Colorado School of Mines are all focused on energy and environment. All major degrees are in STEM fields (except for economics). The Orediggers are led on by their mascots Marvin the Miner and Blaster the Burro. Wearing blue and silver, they compete in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference of the NCAA Division II.
Location
Golden, CO
Institution Type
Public
Student Enrollment
6,628
“Scientia et disciplina” is the Latin motto of Colorado College which means “knowledge and skill.” Today, the school has 42 majors, 33 minors, and sits on a 90 acre campus. The college is highly selective – only 14% of applicants will receive acceptance letters. The master’s degree is the highest level of education offered.
Location
Colorado Springs, CO
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
2,123
The Boulder campus is the flagship school of the University of Colorado system. It was actually founded a few months before Colorado became a state in 1876. Athletes, called the Buffaloes, are part of the Pacific-12 Conference. They’ve won 28 national championships (a majority in skiing) and 10 athletes have gone on to be Olympic medalists
Location
Boulder, CO
Institution Type
Public
Student Enrollment
37,883
The University of Denver is the oldest independent private university in the Rocky Mountain Region. The 125 acre campus is host to an arboretum, historic buildings, and Evans Memorial Chapel. The university accepts 61% of applicants and many will go on to major in Finance. Other popular majors include Psychology, Marketing, and International Relations and Affairs.
Location
Denver, CO
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
12,931
The flagship university of Colorado, CSU’s mascot is Cam the Ram. Popular sports on campus include track, basketball, and football among others. Business Administration is by far and away the most popular major at the school. There is a 14:1 student-to-faculty ratio and an acceptance rate of 84%.
Location
Fort Collins, CO
Institution Type
Public
Student Enrollment
33,426
The University of Utah’s campus is nestled between mountains and the Great Salt Lake. Of all students on campus, 75% study at the undergraduate level, and the remaining 25% are graduate students. About 60% of the first-year class calls Utah home, though many other students come from California, Texas, and Idaho.
Location
Salt Lake City, UT
Institution Type
Public
Student Enrollment
32,852
Psychology, Exercise Physiology, and Accounting are the top three most popular majors at BYU Provo. Though the Provo campus is the main location for the university, there are two additional satellite campuses - one in Salt Lake City and one in Jerusalem, Israel. There is a 20:1 student-to-faculty ratio at BYU Provo.
Location
Provo, UT
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
34,318
Colorado Christian University has an incredibly high acceptance rate - 98%! Unlike many schools who use Latin in their school mottos, CCU takes inspiration from the Greeks. “χαρις και αληθεια” translates to mean “Grace and Truth.” Psychology is the most popular major, followed by Business Administration and Nursing.
Location
Lakewood, CO
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
7,587
The doctor’s degree is the highest level of education offered at Westminster College. That said, only 21% of students on campus study at the graduate level. There is a cozy student-to-faculty ratio of 9:1 at this school. Additionally, there’s a first-year retention rate of 80%. Students come from all over the country to attend Westminster. In fact, only 49% of freshmen are Utah natives.
Location
Salt Lake City, UT
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
2,215
Though located in Denver since 1887, this school actually started over in Las Vegas, New Mexico. Regis is one of 28 Jesuit universities in the nation and the only one located in the Rocky Mountain region. Nowadays, there is a near 50/50 split between undergraduate and graduate students studying on campus. Blue and gold are the official school colors.
Location
Denver, CO
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
6,908
One of the youngest colleges in America, the Neumont College of Computer Science was founded in 2003. The school offers 5 total undergraduate majors: Computer Programming, Network and System Administration, Information Technology Project Manager, Digital Web Page Design, and Virtual Environment and Simulation Modeling.
Location
Salt Lake City, UT
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
474
Though the school seal features two lions, Carroll College’s mascot is actually a St. Bernard named Halo. Student athletes compete as the Fighting Saints in sports like track, basketball, and soccer. The campus is located near Mt. Helena. Registered Nursing is the most popular major, followed by Health Services and Biology.
Location
Helena, MT
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
1,231
Did you know the College of Idaho is the oldest private liberal arts college in the state? The school offers up to a master’s degree. Graduates of the College of Idaho have gone into impressive careers in business, politics, law, and sports. The acceptance rate is just below 50% and the school does not charge students to apply.
Location
Caldwell, ID
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
1,091
The University of Wyoming is one of the rare schools that features a live animal mascot - a horse named Cowboy Joe. Another mascot, Pistol Pete, is played by a student in costume. Brown and gold are the official school colors. Also known as UW, the university is a land-grant, space-grant, and public flagship school.
Location
Laramie, WY
Institution Type
Public
Student Enrollment
12,249span>
“Mountains and Minds” is the motto of this university. An apt phrase for a school located near several mountain peaks. Business, Registered Nursing, Family and Consumer Sciences, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, and Elementary Education are the top five most popular majors.
Location
Bozeman, MT
Institution Type
Public
Student Enrollment
16,692
Montana Technological University’s motto of “De Re Metallica” (“Of the metals”) pays homage to the school’s original name - the Montana School of Mines. In fact, the school’s seal features mining tools as well. Green and copper are the official school colors of the Montana Tech Orediggers.
Location
Butte, MT
Institution Type
Public
Student Enrollment
1,714
“A Legacy of Leading” is the motto of the University of Idaho. The athletic teams are known as the Vandals and they compete in sports such as tennis, golf, football, and basketball. 71% of incoming students call Idaho home, though many other students come from nearby Washington, California, and Oregon.
Location
Moscow, ID
Institution Type
Public
Student Enrollment
11,926
Boise State University’s campus is located on the Boise River. A whopping 87% of students on campus study at the undergraduate level, though the school offers up to the doctor’s degree. Registered Nursing is by far and away the most popular major, followed by Health Professions, and Speech Communication.
Location
Boise, ID
Institution Type
Public
Student Enrollment
26,217
Red and black are the colors of the Northwest Nazarene University Nighthawks sports teams. Track, basketball, soccer, and golf are popular sports on campus. The school has a 77% acceptance rate and does not charge students to apply. Also known as NNU, the university has a 17:1 student-to-faculty ratio.
Location
Nampa, ID
Institution Type
Private
Student Enrollment
2,111
Utah State University is both a land-grant and space-grant school. Economics, Communication Sciences and Disorders, Special Education, Business Administration, Physical Education Teaching, and Psychology are the top five most popular majors at USU. 68% of the incoming class call Utah home.
Location
Logan, UT
Institution Type
Public
Student Enrollment
27,810
Located along the Clark Fork River, the University of Montana’s student body is 74% undergraduates and 26% graduate students. The school has an incredibly high acceptance rate of 96%. Psychology is the most popular major at UM. “Lux et Veritas” is the school motto, which translates to mean “Light and Truth.”
Location
Missoula, MT
Institution Type
Public
Student Enrollment
10,487
Also known as UNC, the university’s logo is “Sapientia in aeternum est” or “Wisdom is eternal.” 96% of the students at UNC receive institutional aid to pay for their tuition costs. Klawz the Bear is the school's mascot, and their colors are navy blue and gold. Notable alumni of UNC include musicians, champion athletes, politicians, and more.
Location
Greeley, CO
Institution Type
Public
Student Enrollment
12,930
At UCCS, the most popular majors include Business Administration, Registered Nursing, Psychology, Communication, and Biology. The school has a 15:1 student-to-faculty ratio and a high acceptance rate of 90%. Black and gold are the school colors of the UCCS Mountain Lions, whose mascot is named Clyde.
Location
Colorado Springs, CO
Institution Type
Public
Student Enrollment
12,807
92% of the students at Southern Utah University are studying for their bachelor’s degree, though the school offers up to the master’s. Of the incoming class, 71% call Utah their home state. Many other students come from nearby California and Nevada. Student athletes are nicknamed the Thunderbirds and compete in the Big Sky conference for football.
Location
Cedar City, UT
Institution Type
Public
Student Enrollment
11,224
Interested in any of these schools? Check out College Raptor’s free match tool to see if they’re a good fit for you!
Methodology
Colleges are ranked based on a combination of factors, including graduation rates, campus diversity, endowment per student, and other data as reported via the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) for the most recently-available enrollment year. Some colleges may have been excluded from rankings based on certain criteria, including specialization and classification. Learn about our full methodology.
