Best colleges for Petroleum Engineering in Texas
Ranked by graduate earnings
The University of Texas at Austin, Texas Tech University and Texas A&M University - College Station are the top bachelor's Petroleum Engineering programs in Texas by graduate earnings. The University of Texas at Austin leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $86,761, College Scorecard. Texas A&M University - College Station, The University of Texas at Austin and Texas Tech University award the most Petroleum Engineering degrees in Texas: 134, 108 and 65 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 7 Texas colleges offer Petroleum Engineering and award 364 degrees and certificates a year in all.
Petroleum Engineering is a specialized field of engineering focused on the production of hydrocarbons, including crude oil and natural gas. This program is designed for students interested in the upstream sector of the oil and gas…
Top 6 bachelor's programs, ranked by graduate earnings
Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The University of Texas at Austin Austin Public · Bachelor's degree | $86,761 | 108 | 89% | — | $17,239 |
| 2 | Texas Tech University Lubbock Public · Bachelor's degree | $80,460 | 65 | 69% | — | $26,090 |
| 3 | Texas A&M University - College Station College Station Public · Bachelor's degree | $69,603 | 134 | 84% | — | $19,000 |
| 4 | University of Houston Houston Public · Bachelor's degree | $52,295 | 37 | 65% | — | $23,366 |
| 5 | The University of Texas Permian Basin Odessa Public · Bachelor's degree Small program | $61,299 | 16 | 40% | — | $24,500 |
| 6 | Texas A&M University - Kingsville Kingsville Public · Bachelor's degree Small program | $43,257 | 2 | 42% | — | — |
Colleges awarding the most Petroleum Engineering degrees in Texas
Top 7 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Certificate and associate programs, online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Starting salary (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas A&M University - College Station College Station Public | 134 | $69,603 |
| 2 | The University of Texas at Austin Austin Public | 108 | $86,761 |
| 3 | Texas Tech University Lubbock Public | 65 | $80,460 |
| 4 | University of Houston Houston Public | 37 | $52,295 |
| 5 | The University of Texas Permian Basin Odessa Public | 16 | $61,299 |
| 6 | Texas A & M International University Laredo Public | 2 | Not reported |
| 7 | Texas A&M University - Kingsville Kingsville Public | 2 | $43,257 |
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Petroleum Engineers (SOC 17-2171).
Top skills
What Petroleum Engineers earn in Texas
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Petroleum Engineering programs in Texas.
Which Texas colleges award the most Petroleum Engineering degrees?+
Texas A&M University - College Station (134 graduates a year), The University of Texas at Austin (108 graduates a year) and Texas Tech University (65 graduates a year) award the most Petroleum Engineering degrees in Texas, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 7 Texas colleges offer Petroleum Engineering.
What is the best college for Petroleum Engineering in Texas?+
By graduate earnings, The University of Texas at Austin leads among bachelor's Petroleum Engineering programs in Texas, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $86,761, College Scorecard. Texas Tech University and Texas A&M University - College Station follow. By degrees awarded, Texas A&M University - College Station is the largest, with 134 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Petroleum Engineering program in Texas has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, The University of Texas at Austin tops the list at $86,761. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Petroleum Engineers earn in Texas?+
The average annual wage for Petroleum Engineers in Texas is $171,580 (median $164,860), across about 9,140 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
What is the focus of the Petroleum Engineering program?+
Petroleum Engineering is a specialized field of engineering focused on the production of hydrocarbons, including crude oil and natural gas. This program is designed for students interested in the upstream sector of the oil and gas…
What skills will I develop in this program?+
You will develop critical thinking, reading comprehension, active listening, writing, and related professional skills.
What is the job outlook for Petroleum Engineers?+
The national job outlook is about +1.3% growth with around 1,200 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).
What is the typical education requirement?+
A Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).
About the data on this page
Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.
Explore every U.S. college in one conversation
Clema turns plain-language questions into sourced answers across every U.S. institution — earnings, aid, acceptance, graduation, safety, and athletics from IPEDS, College Scorecard, and 10+ federal datasets, built in.
Free for teams up to 3 · No credit card