Students at LeTourneau University achieve above-average earnings that reflect the value of focused technical education in engineering, aviation, and business fields.
Graduates demonstrate strong financial stability with excellent loan repayment performance and earnings that support comfortable debt management.
LeTourneau University is a small private Christian institution in Longview, Texas, that specializes in engineering, aviation, and business programs. While the university serves a relatively selective student body with only 13% receiving Pell Grants, it delivers solid long-term earnings outcomes that place it in the 64th percentile nationally for graduate earnings. The university's focused academic approach emphasizes hands-on technical training and industry partnerships, particularly in engineering and aviation fields.
LeTourneau's strength lies in its specialized program portfolio and small-scale learning environment. With fewer than 3,000 students, the university provides personalized attention and direct faculty mentorship that larger institutions often cannot match. Graduates earn a median of $57,103 ten years after enrollment, reflecting the university's emphasis on career-focused education in high-demand technical fields.
As a private Christian university, LeTourneau combines faith-based education with practical career preparation. The institution's mobility quadrant classification as "Selective Achievers" reflects its ability to deliver strong outcomes for the students it serves, though access remains limited primarily to families who can afford higher net prices. For students seeking technical expertise in engineering or aviation within a close-knit Christian community, LeTourneau offers a distinctive educational experience.
LeTourneau University's program portfolio centers on three core areas that drive the majority of graduate outcomes. Mechanical Engineering stands out as both the highest-earning and most economically impactful program, graduating 52 students annually with median earnings of $63,600. This program combines LeTourneau's hands-on learning approach with strong industry partnerships, creating direct pathways into manufacturing, energy, and aerospace sectors where mechanical engineers command premium salaries.
Business Administration and Management represents the university's largest program with 61 graduates earning around $52,607, providing a solid foundation for careers in management, finance, and entrepreneurship. The specialized Aeronautics/Aviation/Aerospace program, graduating 39 students with earnings of $41,565, reflects LeTourneau's unique positioning in aviation education and connects directly to airline, aerospace manufacturing, and aviation services careers.
These three programs account for the majority of LeTourneau's graduates and demonstrate the university's focused approach to career-oriented education. The relatively small cohort sizes in each program allow for personalized faculty mentorship and close industry connections that larger universities often cannot provide. Students benefit from hands-on learning experiences, internship opportunities, and alumni networks that facilitate job placement in their chosen fields, though career outcomes vary significantly depending on program selection.
LeTourneau University graduates achieve solid long-term financial outcomes, with median earnings of $57,103 ten years after enrollment. This performance places the university in the 64th percentile nationally, reflecting above-average earnings that demonstrate the value of its focused technical programs. While graduates don't significantly exceed earnings expectations compared with similar institutions, they consistently reach income levels that support comfortable middle-class lifestyles and manageable debt repayment.
The university's strongest financial returns come from its engineering programs, particularly Mechanical Engineering, which graduates 52 students annually with median earnings of $63,600. Business Administration and Management represents the largest program with 61 graduates earning around $52,607, while the specialized Aeronautics/Aviation/Aerospace program produces 39 graduates with earnings of $41,565. These three programs form the core of LeTourneau's career-focused curriculum, each connecting directly to industries with steady hiring demand and clear advancement pathways.
LeTourneau's concentrated program mix in engineering, business, and aviation creates a focused alumni network with strong industry connections. The university's small scale means graduates often benefit from close faculty relationships and personalized career guidance that can accelerate early-career advancement. While earnings vary by field, the institution's emphasis on practical, hands-on training helps ensure graduates enter the workforce with immediately applicable skills that employers value.
LeTourneau University's affordability profile reflects its status as a private institution, with net prices that require significant family financial commitment. Low-income students pay approximately $19,589 annually, while middle-income families face costs around $24,073, and high-income families pay about $29,482. These prices place the university in the 26th percentile nationally for affordability, indicating costs that are higher than most public institutions but competitive within the private college market.
The university's financial aid approach focuses on merit-based assistance rather than need-based support, which aligns with its selective student body where only 13% receive Pell Grants. Families typically use a combination of savings, current income, and borrowing to cover costs, with many viewing the investment as worthwhile given the university's strong industry connections and specialized technical programs.
Debt levels at LeTourneau are manageable relative to graduate earnings, with typical federal student loan debt of $26,000 and Parent PLUS borrowing averaging $20,550. The university maintains a 0% federal loan default rate, indicating that graduates successfully manage their debt obligations. With median earnings of $57,103, most borrowers can handle standard repayment terms comfortably, and the university's strong loan repayment rates suggest graduates achieve financial stability relatively quickly after graduation.
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Executive summary with admissions, cost, outcomes, and program analysis
