Western Colorado University

How this program compares

Budget-wise, $37.4K puts this bachelor's program at the 23rd percentile on cost — roughly 58% below the $89.8K average across 186 comparable listings. It runs on a full-time schedule (on-campus).

Admission Snapshot

Typical admitted student: High school diploma or equivalent with a minimum GPA of 2.5–3.0 required; SAT/ACT scores optional but recommended for competitive applicants. Prerequisite coursework in mathematics (calculus, linear algebra) and introductory programming strongly preferred.

About This Program

This major provides a deep dive into data analytics and machine learning algorithms, focusing on high-growth areas like computer vision. Most students complete it in about 4 years.

Graduates frequently move into roles such as Machine Learning Engineer, with reported salaries around $120,000.

Build and evaluate supervised and unsupervised machine learning models for real-world data.

Budget planners should note $37.4K estimated total tuition (23rd percentile among AI bachelor's programs, below the $89.8K average). That makes it one of the more affordable options for students weighing return on investment.

It is one of 17 AI-related programs we track in Colorado, of which about 65% offer an online option. On price, it comes in higher than about 53% of the Colorado programs in our data, where typical tuition runs near $36.0K.

Career Outcomes

Western Colorado University positions this bachelor track for Machine Learning Engineer careers — typical offers cluster around $120,000. Its focus on Machine Learning and Natural Language Processing (NLP) maps directly to how employers screen for specialized skills rather than generic degrees. Federal projections for this occupational area point to roughly 36% growth this decade — verify the current figure on the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook before you rely on it.

• 1. Machine Learning Engineer
• 2. Data Scientist
• 3. AI Application Developer
• 4. ML Operations (MLOps) Specialist

What You'll Learn

• Build and evaluate supervised and unsupervised machine learning models for real-world data
• Apply deep learning techniques to image, text, and sequential data processing
• Perform data preprocessing, feature selection, and model optimization
• Deploy scalable ML models with ethical considerations for bias and fairness

Curriculum Highlights

The program requires a computer science core plus specialized courses in data analytics, machine learning, and neural network engineering.

Top Employers

Top employers include tech companies like Google, Amazon, Microsoft, and Meta, as well as startups and industries applying AI in healthcare, finance, and autonomous systems.

Admissions

Admission to Western Colorado University's BS in Applied Machine Learning generally expects a high school diploma. The GRE is not required here — a growing norm among AI programs — so applicants can often lead with coursework, projects and recommendations instead. Deadlines, testing policies and funding change year to year, so confirm the current requirements on the official program page before applying.

Application Materials

• Statement of Purpose: Required
• Letters of Recommendation: 2 optional
• Resume: Optional
• Transcripts: Official transcripts required

Frequently Asked Questions