Graduate earnings are in line with similar institutions.
What graduates earn 10 years after enrollment.
Annual salary at 10 years
Lower quartile earnings
Upper quartile earnings
How graduate earnings grow in the decade after enrollment.
University of Houston graduates experience steady earnings progression throughout their early career years. Median earnings grow from $52,768 at six years after enrollment to $58,739 at eight years and $62,377 at ten years, representing 18.2% growth from the six-year mark.
How outcomes compare to similar institutions.
Graduate earnings align with peer institutions — outcomes are in line with similar schools.
Financial justification for the investment.
Excellent affordability. Median debt of $18,194 is well under annual earnings, enabling comfortable repayment.
University of Houston graduates carry median debt of $18,194, ranking in the 79th percentile nationally and sitting $1,806 below the peer median of $20,000. Student debt ranges from $6,000 at the 25th percentile to $24,038 at the 75th percentile, indicating controlled borrowing across the student population.
University of Houston ranks in the 82.7th percentile nationally for return on investment, reflecting well above average performance in translating educational costs into career outcomes. Graduates earn $7,400 beyond expectations compared to students with similar backgrounds, placing the institution in the 80.6th percentile for earnings uplift.
Approximately 25.1% of graduates continue to graduate or professional school, based on program mix analysis with high confidence. This continuation r...
Program mix explains much of the earnings story.
Engineering and technology programs drive the university's strongest return outcomes, with Artificial Intelligence delivering $92,271 median earnings and Mechanical Engineering reaching $87,358. Business programs contribute significantly to overall performance, with Information Resources Management producing $75,533 earnings and Banking and Financial Support Services at $68,263.
Even programs with moderate earnings like Psychology ($46,311) and Biology ($47,168) maintain strong value scores through controlled debt levels, demonstrating the university's ability to deliver positive returns across its academic portfolio. The combination of high-earning technical programs and well-managed costs in liberal arts fields supports strong institutional return performance that benefits students across diverse academic interests and career goals.
See which programs drive the strongest earnings and career trajectories
Return outcomes show meaningful variation across career paths, with earnings ranging from $39,375 at the 25th percentile to $92,999 at the 75th percentile. This 2.4:1 ratio reflects program diversity and different career trajectories while maintaining solid baseline performance.
