Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in engineering-related fields, balancing cost against outcomes.
University Of Houston Clear Lake earned the #1 spot for value among engineering-related fields schools in Texas. Set in the city of Houston, University Of Houston Clear Lake is a moderately-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,346, with out-of-state students paying around $22,290. Engineering-Related Fields graduates carry a median of $21,100 in student loans. Early-career engineering-related fields graduates make about $51,252. Set against $21,100 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 90%.
Students looking for strong value in engineering-related fields will find it at Texas A And M University Kingsville, which ranked #2. Texas A And M University Kingsville is a moderately-sized public school located in the town of Kingsville. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,892, compared with $25,746 for out-of-state students. Engineering-Related Fields graduates carry a median of $25,531 in student loans. Early-career engineering-related fields graduates make about $44,510. Set against $25,531 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 91% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Rice University earned it the #3 place for engineering-related fields. Rice University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Houston. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $61,247. Engineering-Related Fields graduates carry a median of $11,904 in student loans. Early-career engineering-related fields graduates make about $75,299. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 8%.
A rank of #4 makes Lamar University one of the best values for engineering-related fields. Lamar University is a very large public school located in the city of Beaumont. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,905, with out-of-state students paying around $18,745. Engineering-Related Fields graduates carry a median of $26,988 in student loans. Soon after graduation, engineering-related fields degree recipients from Lamar University generally make around $52,678. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Lamar University admits about 86% of applicants.
University Of North Texas came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value engineering-related fields schools. University Of North Texas is a very large public school located in the city of Denton. In-state tuition and fees average $11,309, while out-of-state students pay about $21,149. Typical student debt for engineering-related fields graduates is $21,817. Early-career engineering-related fields graduates make about $49,157. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 72%.
The University Of Texas At Arlington ranked #6 on our 2026 list of the best value engineering-related fields schools. The University Of Texas At Arlington is a very large public school located in the city of Arlington. Students from in state pay about $11,950 in tuition and fees, with out-of-state students paying around $29,582. Engineering-Related Fields graduates carry a median of $21,632 in student loans. Early-career engineering-related fields graduates make about $55,304. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 80%.
The University Of Texas At Tyler ranked #7 on our 2026 list of the best value engineering-related fields schools. Set in the city of Tyler, The University Of Texas At Tyler is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,512, compared with $24,512 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for engineering-related fields graduates is $20,959. Soon after graduation, engineering-related fields degree recipients from The University Of Texas At Tyler generally make around $75,371. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 94%.
Texas State University San Marcos came in at #8 for value in engineering-related fields this year. Set in the city of San Marcos, Texas State University San Marcos is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $11,450, while out-of-state students pay about $22,930. Students borrow a median of $23,659 to complete the engineering-related fields program here. Early-career engineering-related fields graduates make about $47,456. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 89%.
The University Of Texas At Austin earned the #9 position for value in engineering-related fields this year. The University Of Texas At Austin is a very large public school located in the city of Austin. In-state tuition and fees average $11,688, compared with $44,908 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for engineering-related fields graduates is $21,275. Engineering-Related Fields graduates of The University Of Texas At Austin earn a median of $57,819 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The University Of Texas At Austin admits about 27% of applicants.
Texas A And M University College Station earned the #10 position for value in engineering-related fields this year. Located in the city of College Station, Texas A And M University College Station is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $12,995 in tuition and fees, compared with $40,124 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for engineering-related fields graduates is $20,031. Engineering-Related Fields graduates of Texas A And M University College Station earn a median of $120,911 early in their careers. Set against $20,031 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Texas A And M University College Station admits about 57% of applicants.
Notes and References
The ranking above is published by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. Schools are scored on the balance of cost (tuition and student debt) against student outcomes (post-graduation earnings) — a measure of return on investment, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 17 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
[Engineering-Related Fields](/majors/engineering-technologies/engineering-related-fields/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
