1. [College research](/) 2. / 3. [West Texas A & M University](/school/west-texas-a-m-university/) 4. / 5. Career outcomes brief Career outcomes brief Copy linkPrint brief # West Texas A & M University Career Outcomes & Earnings Updated September 30, 2026 [Overview](/school/west-texas-a-m-university/)[Cost & aid](/school/west-texas-a-m-university/cost/)Outcomes[Admissions](/school/west-texas-a-m-university/admissions/)[Majors](/school/west-texas-a-m-university/majors/)[Similar schools](/school/west-texas-a-m-university/similar/) **On this page**+ ## How much do West Texas A & M University graduates earn? The reported median is $55,166 four years after completion. The peer comparison uses $57,301 as its benchmark; the difference is \-$2,135 per year. Graduates earn about $2,155 more than the model expects for similar students. That puts the gap at the 63rd percentile. Azimuth places the university at the 39th percentile for return among nonprofit four-year institutions. Four years after completing a degree, federally aided graduates who are working and not enrolled earn a median of $55,166, at the 33rd percentile. That is $2,135 below the $57,301 median for comparable institutions (same type and size). The part the model attributes to the factors it measures (field of study, enrollment and the local labor market) adds $2,338. The part it attributes to a remainder it does not explain subtracts $183. Within the measured factors, the STEM component adds $246. Earnings vary substantially by field, so the earnings scenarios offer a wider view than the schoolwide median alone. The downside scenario is $45,029, while the upside scenario reaches $76,971; these are earnings scenarios, not observed groups. 23 fields have published earnings data. At the upper end, Mechanical Engineering completers have median earnings of $93,938 four years after completion. Nursing is at $79,583, and Business Administration and Management is at $71,979. Those field results show why the modeled range extends well above its downside scenario. Four-year earnings should be read alongside graduate study at West Texas A & M University. An estimated 26.9% of graduates continue to graduate study, a figure estimated from the program mix rather than observed enrollment. The earnings measure covers completers who are working and not enrolled, so it leaves out those enrolled when earnings are measured. **Median earnings · four years after completion** $55,166 **Rank for difference from expectations** 63rd percentile Four-year median earnings against two benchmarks **West Texas A & M University reported median** $55,166 **Peer schools comparable schools · $2,135 above West Texas A & M University** $57,301 **Model expectation what similar students would be expected to earn · $2,155 below West Texas A & M University** $53,011 School and program earnings use pooled 2017–18 and 2018–19 completion cohorts, measured in 2022 and 2023 and expressed in 2024 dollars. [How the model works](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/). ## How could earnings differ from the median? The planning scenarios range from $45,029 to $76,971, around the reported median of $55,166. Compare the lower scenario with [West Texas A & M University borrowing and monthly payments](/school/west-texas-a-m-university/cost/) to see how a smaller income could change your plan. Modeled from the school’s program mix; not salary percentiles or a forecast for one graduate. Earnings four years after completion Planning rangeReported median **Lower estimate** $45,029 **Median · reported** $55,166 **Higher estimate** $76,971 Downside shows a lower-earning scenario based on the college’s mix of programs; upside shows a higher-earning scenario. Typical is the school’s reported median four years after completion. These are planning scenarios, not a forecast of your salary or percentiles of individual graduates. [Why the downside matters](/analysis/median-roi-hides-a-harsh-reality/) explores the risk hidden by medians, using older ten-year entrant data. [Read about the move to four-year earnings](/analysis/college-scorecard-2026-4-year-vs-10-year-earnings-2-2/). ## Do West Texas A & M University graduates earn more than expected? Azimuth models what we would expect graduates to earn based on who the college enrolls, how selective it is and its local economy. The difference between that expectation and reported earnings is what Azimuth calls [value added](/methodology/#value-added). West Texas A & M University graduates’ reported earnings are $2,155 above that expectation, the 63rd percentile for this measure. Unlike a peer comparison, it adjusts for who enrolls. The breakdown separates the contribution attributed to observed factors from the remaining difference. Neither component establishes how much attending West Texas A & M University caused a student to earn. [Read how expected earnings are estimated](/analysis/a-value-added-approach-to-college-outcomes/). What explains value-added earnings? **Program & institutional factors The part attributed to observed institutional characteristics.** +$2,338 **Unexplained remainder What remains after the model’s observed factors.** \-$183 **Total modeled value added The modeled difference from expected earnings.** +$2,155 These are statistical model components, not proven causal effects; the remainder is not a direct measure of teaching quality. ## Which fields at West Texas A & M University report the highest earnings? The highest-earning program at West Texas A & M University is Mechanical Engineering, where graduates earn a median of $93,938 four years after completion. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) it #113 nationally among nonprofit four-year institutions in its field, from 35 degrees awarded a year. Nursing is both the second-highest earner and the third-largest program, with 126 degrees awarded and a median of $79,583. Azimuth ranks it #254 in its field. At the more moderate end, the largest program is Liberal Arts and General Studies, with 173 degrees awarded and median earnings of $49,618. Azimuth ranks it #96 nationally. The second-largest, Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies, awards 154 degrees and posts a median of $49,241, ranking #72 in its field. The largest program families at West Texas A & M University are Business, which accounts for 20.1% of bachelor's degrees awarded, and Health Professions at 15.4%. [Azimuth ranks](/analysis/college-program-rankings-how-to-actually-evaluate-programs/) 18 of the university's programs nationally, with earnings data available for 23 fields. The largest single program is Liberal Arts and General Studies, with 173 degrees awarded and median earnings of $49,618 four years after completion. Azimuth ranks it #96 nationally. Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies follows at 154 degrees and $49,241, ranked #72. The highest earnings come from Mechanical Engineering, at $93,938 from 35 degrees a year. Azimuth ranks it #113 nationally. The best-ranked program is Drama/Theatre Arts and Stagecraft, at #15 nationally with 28 degrees awarded and median earnings of $47,175. Highest reported four-year program earnings **Mechanical Engineering** $93,938 **Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing** $79,583 **Business Administration, Management and Operations** $71,979 **Finance and Financial Management Services** $66,534 **Accounting and Related Services** $61,262 **Business/Commerce, General** $60,430 **Marketing** $58,303 **Criminal Justice and Corrections** $58,011 [Explore West Texas A & M University program cohorts and field ranks](/school/west-texas-a-m-university/majors/#largest-cohorts) for more context. ## Further analysis Field choice shapes the modeled earnings range at West Texas A & M University. Scenarios grounded in the program mix run from a downside of $45,029 to a typical figure of $55,166 and an upside of $76,971, four years after completion. Mechanical Engineering reaches $93,938, while Multi/Interdisciplinary Studies is lowest among the largest programs at $49,241; the spread shows how modeled outcomes vary by field. West Texas A & M University graduates have median earnings of $55,166 four years after completion, for federally aided completers who are working and not enrolled. Azimuth places that earnings figure in the 33rd percentile among nonprofit four-year institutions, based on an earnings cohort of 1,532 completers. Graduates earn about $2,155 more than the model expects for similar students. The typical earnings scenario matches the reported median, while the downside scenario is $45,029 and the upside scenario is $76,971. These are scenarios based on the program mix, not observed groups. An estimated 26.9% of graduates continue to graduate study, a figure estimated from the program mix. The overall median and the model’s expectation comparison describe different parts of the earnings picture. ## Data & methodology Sources and reporting periods: [methodology](/methodology/). Analysis and methodology by [Daniel Rogers](/about/#founder), founder of College Azimuth. Explanatory text is AI-assisted drafting checked against those figures; it is not an additional data source. Figure notes link to sources and limitations. [About College Azimuth](/about/).