Best Engineering Colleges in Texas (2026)
Updated
This page ranks the 36 schools in Texas by the median earnings of Engineering graduates four years after completing. Across the 26 schools with a published figure, median earnings range from $117,188 at The University of Texas at Austin to $44,356, with a median of $86,710.
For 2 of the listed schools the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.
Public institutions account for 75% of the list, with 27 public and 9 private nonprofit schools. Rice University posts the highest six-year completion rate at 95%.
The University of Texas at Arlington ranks 8th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Median Engineering Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The University of Texas at Austin · Austin, TX | $117,188 | $19,857 | $12,553 | 26.6% |
| The University of Texas at Austin reports $117,188 in median earnings of Engineering graduates four years after completing and ranks 9th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering (320 graduates), Mechanical Engineering (266 graduates), Civil Engineering (143 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering ($146,003), Petroleum Engineering ($139,867), Chemical Engineering ($115,423) | |||||
| 2 | Rice University · Houston, TX | No published median | $13,370 | $5,827 | 8.0% |
| With a six-year completion rate of 95%, Rice University admits 8% of applicants and carries an average net price of $13,370. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Mechanical Engineering (60 graduates), Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering (49 graduates), Biomedical/Medical Engineering (34 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Biomedical/Medical Engineering ($121,099), Chemical Engineering ($113,605), Mechanical Engineering ($108,970) | |||||
| 3 | Texas A&M University-College Station · College Station, TX | $102,174 | $21,315 | $12,784 | 57.4% |
| Texas A&M University-College Station posts $102,174 in median earnings four years after completing and an average net price of $12,784 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Mechanical Engineering (415 graduates), Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering (281 graduates), Industrial Engineering (261 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Computer Engineering ($127,042), Petroleum Engineering ($114,686), Chemical Engineering ($111,073) | |||||
| 4 | Texas Tech University · Lubbock, TX | $100,567 | $19,070 | $12,457 | 72.7% |
| Graduating 69% of its students within six years, Texas Tech University reports $100,567 in median earnings of Engineering graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Mechanical Engineering (247 graduates), Chemical Engineering (96 graduates), Civil Engineering (85 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Petroleum Engineering ($139,864), Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering ($107,110), Construction Engineering ($102,312) | |||||
| 5 | The University of Texas at Dallas · Richardson, TX | $99,324 | $18,267 | $12,814 | 65.1% |
| The University of Texas at Dallas admits 65% of applicants and its Engineering graduates earn a median of $99,324 four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Mechanical Engineering (231 graduates), Computer Engineering (200 graduates), Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering (125 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Computer Engineering ($112,666), Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering ($104,448), Mechanical Engineering ($90,102) | |||||
| 6 | Lamar University · Beaumont, TX | $97,768 | $9,366 | $7,568 | 86.4% |
| An average net price of $9,366 coincides with median earnings of $97,768 for Engineering graduates of Lamar University. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Mechanical Engineering (66 graduates), Chemical Engineering (46 graduates), Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering (31 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering ($103,037), Chemical Engineering ($101,018), Mechanical Engineering ($97,159) | |||||
| 7 | University of Houston · Houston, TX | No published median | $14,276 | $10,929 | 73.9% |
| University of Houston ranks 13th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports a six-year completion rate of 65%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Mechanical Engineering (211 graduates), Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering (84 graduates), Chemical Engineering (74 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Chemical Engineering ($110,184), Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering ($107,399), Industrial Engineering ($94,814) | |||||
| 8 | West Texas A & M University · Canyon, TX | $93,938 | $19,487 | $16,525 | 98.7% |
| West Texas A & M University reports $93,938 in median earnings of Engineering graduates four years after completing alongside an admission rate of 99%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Mechanical Engineering (35 graduates), Civil Engineering (8 graduates), Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering (6 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Mechanical Engineering ($93,938) | |||||
| 9 | Texas Christian University · Fort Worth, TX | $93,753 | $36,660 | $17,956 | 44.5% |
| A private nonprofit university in Fort Worth, Texas Christian University posts median earnings of $93,753 and an average net price of $17,956 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Engineering, General (41 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Engineering, General ($93,753) | |||||
| 10 | Texas State University · San Marcos, TX | $92,493 | $16,805 | $12,715 | 89.3% |
| Texas State University ranks 40th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and its Engineering graduates earn a median of $92,493. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering (92 graduates), Manufacturing Engineering (43 graduates), Industrial Engineering (34 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering ($94,780), Industrial Engineering ($90,729), Manufacturing Engineering ($88,995) | |||||
| 11 | Prairie View A & M University · Prairie View, TX | No published median | $13,570 | $12,120 | 79.3% |
| With an admission rate of 79%, Prairie View A & M University reports an average net price of $13,570 and a six-year completion rate of 43%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Mechanical Engineering (67 graduates), Chemical Engineering (50 graduates), Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering (25 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering ($115,939), Chemical Engineering ($92,591), Mechanical Engineering ($88,708) | |||||
| 12 | Baylor University · Waco, TX | $91,607 | $41,104 | $22,024 | 51.3% |
| Baylor University graduates 80% of its students within six years and its Engineering alumni earn a median of $91,607 four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Mechanical Engineering (65 graduates), Electrical and Computer Engineering (30 graduates), Engineering, General (13 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Mechanical Engineering ($92,990) | |||||
| 13 | University of North Texas · Denton, TX | $90,957 | $15,649 | $12,311 | 72.2% |
| University of North Texas reports median earnings of $90,957 for its Engineering graduates four years after completing, and the public university in Denton carries an average net price of $15,649. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Mechanical Engineering (103 graduates), Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering (65 graduates), Biomedical/Medical Engineering (47 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Computer Engineering ($109,151), Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering ($95,294), Mechanical Engineering ($87,257) | |||||
| 14 | The University of Texas at Arlington · Arlington, TX | No published median | $13,951 | $11,893 | 79.9% |
| The University of Texas at Arlington ranks 8th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, and the public university in Arlington shows a six-year completion rate of 54%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Mechanical Engineering (134 graduates), Computer Engineering (103 graduates), Civil Engineering (102 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Computer Engineering ($105,871), Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering ($99,993), Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering ($99,239) | |||||
| 15 | The University of Texas at Tyler · Tyler, TX | $90,070 | $13,323 | $10,307 | 94.0% |
| With an admission rate of 94%, The University of Texas at Tyler posts median earnings of $90,070 for its Engineering graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Mechanical Engineering (82 graduates), Civil Engineering (54 graduates), Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering (44 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering ($95,295), Mechanical Engineering ($88,562), Civil Engineering ($88,102) | |||||
| 16 | Midwestern State University · Wichita Falls, TX | $87,160 | $11,656 | $8,856 | 93.5% |
| Midwestern State University lists an average net price of $11,656 and graduates 43% of its students within six years. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Mechanical Engineering (22 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Mechanical Engineering ($87,160) | |||||
| 17 | Trinity University · San Antonio, TX | $86,823 | $23,464 | $10,356 | 25.9% |
| A private nonprofit institution in San Antonio, Trinity University admits 26% of applicants and reports a six-year completion rate of 84%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Engineering Science (28 graduates) | |||||
| 18 | The University of Texas at San Antonio · San Antonio, TX | $86,596 | $10,836 | $7,870 | 86.8% |
| The University of Texas at San Antonio reports median earnings of $86,596 for its Engineering graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $10,836. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Mechanical Engineering (159 graduates), Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering (97 graduates), Civil Engineering (93 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering ($90,846), Mechanical Engineering ($87,062), Civil Engineering ($84,166) | |||||
| 19 | LeTourneau University · Longview, TX | $86,483 | $28,185 | $22,785 | 38.0% |
| LeTourneau University ranks 19th on this list with median earnings of $86,483 four years after completing, and its six-year completion rate stands at 59%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Mechanical Engineering (39 graduates), Metallurgical Engineering (11 graduates), Computer Engineering (7 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Mechanical Engineering ($84,998) | |||||
| 20 | East Texas A&M University · Commerce, TX | $86,339 | $11,841 | $9,709 | 92.2% |
| East Texas A&M University admits 92% of applicants and reports an average net price of $9,709 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering (21 graduates), Industrial Engineering (12 graduates), Construction Engineering (11 graduates) | |||||
| 21 | The University of Texas at El Paso · El Paso, TX | $86,291 | $9,403 | $7,863 | 99.9% |
| The University of Texas at El Paso posts median earnings of $86,291 for its Engineering graduates four years after completing, and its six-year completion rate is 50%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Mechanical Engineering (199 graduates), Civil Engineering (73 graduates), Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering (66 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering ($94,122), Metallurgical Engineering ($89,131), Mechanical Engineering ($88,393) | |||||
| 22 | Texas A&M University-Kingsville · Kingsville, TX | $84,098 | $12,090 | $10,207 | 90.9% |
| Texas A&M University-Kingsville reports a six-year completion rate of 42% and median earnings of $84,098 for its Engineering graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Civil Engineering (62 graduates), Mechanical Engineering (55 graduates), Chemical Engineering (29 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Chemical Engineering ($97,811), Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering ($94,810), Mechanical Engineering ($88,830) | |||||
| 23 | The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley · Edinburg, TX | $80,914 | $4,831 | $3,785 | 94.2% |
| The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley ranks 11th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports an average net price of $3,785 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Mechanical Engineering (122 graduates), Civil Engineering (100 graduates), Computer Engineering (47 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Mechanical Engineering ($87,991), Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering ($85,971), Computer Engineering ($77,097) | |||||
| 24 | Stephen F Austin State University · Nacogdoches, TX | $80,086 | $14,260 | $10,318 | 94.0% |
| Stephen F Austin State University ranks 24th on this list, with median earnings of $80,086 for its Engineering graduates four years after completing and an admission rate of 94%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Engineering Physics (15 graduates) | |||||
| 25 | Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi · Corpus Christi, TX | No published median | $15,225 | $11,445 | 88.6% |
| Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi, a public university in Corpus Christi, ranks 25th on this list and reports a six-year completion rate of 40%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Mechanical Engineering (52 graduates), Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering (15 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Mechanical Engineering ($82,322) | |||||
| 26 | University of Houston-Clear Lake · Houston, TX | $79,710 | $15,563 | $7,330 | 90.5% |
| University of Houston-Clear Lake reports median earnings of $79,710 for its Engineering graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $15,563. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Mechanical Engineering (33 graduates), Computer Engineering (30 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Computer Engineering ($79,710) | |||||
| 27 | Southern Methodist University · Dallas, TX | No published median | $40,892 | $23,544 | 63.4% |
| A private nonprofit institution in Dallas, Southern Methodist University ranks 27th on this page and admits 63% of applicants. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Mechanical Engineering (47 graduates), Operations Research (45 graduates), Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering (16 graduates) Highest four-year median earnings by program: Mechanical Engineering ($90,649) | |||||
| 28 | St. Mary's University · San Antonio, TX | $78,406 | $21,145 | $18,352 | 97.8% |
| St. Mary's University posts a six-year completion rate of 59% and an average net price of $18,352 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Computer Engineering (20 graduates), Industrial Engineering (11 graduates) | |||||
| 29 | The University of Texas Permian Basin · Odessa, TX | $75,665 | $12,723 | $11,930 | 94.9% |
| The University of Texas Permian Basin reports median earnings of $75,665 for its Engineering graduates two years after completing, and ranks 298th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Mechanical Engineering (48 graduates), Petroleum Engineering (24 graduates), Chemical Engineering (5 graduates) | |||||
| 30 | Texas Southern University · Houston, TX | $71,595 | $16,590 | $16,437 | 96.9% |
| Texas Southern University admits 97% of applicants and reports median earnings of $71,595 for its Engineering graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering (21 graduates), Civil Engineering (16 graduates) | |||||
| 31 | University of Mary Hardin-Baylor · Belton, TX | No published median | $26,106 | $22,089 | 95.8% |
| University of Mary Hardin-Baylor, a private nonprofit university in Belton, ranks 31st on this list and reports an average net price of $26,106. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Engineering, General (14 graduates) | |||||
| 32 | Texas A & M International University · Laredo, TX | $60,126 | $3,637 | $3,097 | 44.4% |
| With an average net price of $3,637, Texas A & M International University reports median earnings of $60,126 for its Engineering graduates four years after completing. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Systems Engineering (45 graduates) | |||||
| 33 | Angelo State University · San Angelo, TX | No published median | $15,091 | $12,008 | 83.0% |
| Angelo State University ranks 33rd on this page and reports a six-year completion rate of 44% alongside an admission rate of 83%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Civil Engineering (19 graduates), Mechanical Engineering (8 graduates) | |||||
| 34 | Texas A&M University-Texarkana · Texarkana, TX | No published median | $12,997 | $11,002 | 63.5% |
| Texas A&M University-Texarkana admits 64% of applicants and reports an average net price of $11,002 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering (17 graduates) | |||||
| 35 | Tarleton State University · Stephenville, TX | No published median | $20,783 | $15,574 | 89.6% |
| Tarleton State University ranks 293rd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports a six-year completion rate of 48%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Mechanical Engineering (15 graduates), Civil Engineering (8 graduates), Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering (7 graduates) | |||||
| 36 | University of the Incarnate Word · San Antonio, TX | $44,356 | $22,775 | $19,260 | 98.1% |
| University of the Incarnate Word reports median earnings of $44,356 for its Engineering graduates two years after completing, and an admission rate of 98%. | |||||
Largest programs by graduates in the earnings cohort: Engineering, General (9 graduates) | |||||
How this list is ordered
Schools are ordered by the median earnings of their Engineering graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only schools with a reported Engineering earnings cohort in Texas appear. The figure captures federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled four years after finishing. For 2 of the 36 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one. The metric does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The range and median below cover the 26 schools with a published figure. The spread from top-ranked The University of Texas at Austin to the bottom of the list reaches $72,832.
Job market context in Texas
Engineering graduates in Texas enter occupations such as Civil Engineers, Industrial Engineers, and Mechanical Engineers. The median annual wage across those occupations is $116,398, and a quarter of workers in those occupations earn less than $90,958. Projections for 2024 to 2034 put employment in those occupations about 19.7% higher, with about 317 openings a year for every hundred graduates, more projected openings than graduates. Wages and top occupations exclude management occupations; openings include them. The ranking above uses graduate earnings four years after completing; the market figures describe the occupations, not the earnings of any listed school's graduates.