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2022 Best Value Environmental Engineering Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k

18 Ranked Colleges
296 Degrees Awarded
Best Value Environmental Engineering Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Environmental Engineering Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

Environmental Engineering is the 166th most popular major in the country with 2,802 degrees awarded in 2019-2020. In 2017-2018, environmental engineering graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $52,600 and had an average of $23,573 in loans still to pay off.

Across the Southwest region, there were 296 environmental engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $40,000 and $0 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Environmental Engineering Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k” ranking, we looked at 18 colleges that offer a degree in environmental engineering. Not only do the schools that top this list have excellent environmental engineering programs, but they also cost less that schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the environmental engineering program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

One Size Does Not Fit All

When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value Environmental Engineering Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k” list to help you make the college decision.

In addition to our rankings, you can take two colleges and compare them based on the criteria that matters most to you in our unique tool, College Combat. Go ahead and give it a try, or bookmark the link so you can check it out later.

Best Value Environmental Engineering Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Environmental Engineering Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k.

Top 18 Best Value Colleges for Environmental Engineering (Income $48-$75k) in the Southwest Region

#1

Rice University

Houston, Texas

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Rice University. It ranked #1 on our 2022 Best Value Environmental Engineering Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. This medium-sized school is located in Houston, Texas, and it awarded 10 ’s environmental engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

Rice also made our “Best Environmental Engineering Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #1. The yearly cost to attend Rice University is $7,318 for southwest region environmental engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

The student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The low student loan default rate of 1.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Environmental Engineering at Rice

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend The University of Texas at Austin. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Environmental Engineering Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k. Located in Austin, Texas, this large public school handed out 24 degrees to qualified ’s environmental engineering students in 2019-2020.

UT Austin did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #2 on our “Best Environmental Engineering Schools in the Southwest Region” list. It costs about $15,757 for southwest region environmental engineering students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend The University of Texas at Austin.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Environmental Engineering at UT Austin

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend The University of Texas at San Antonio. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Environmental Engineering Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. The University of Texas at San Antonio is a large school located in San Antonio, Texas that handed out 3 ’s environmental engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

UTSA also made our “Best Environmental Engineering Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #13. It costs about $13,827 for southwest region environmental engineering students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend UTSA.

Full The University of Texas at San Antonio Environmental Engineering Report

#4

University of Houston

Houston, Texas

Out of the 18 schools in the Best Value Environmental Engineering Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Houston landed the #4 spot on the list. Houston, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s environmental engineering degrees to 8 students in 2019-2020.

UH did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best Environmental Engineering Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Houston is $12,505 for Southwest Region Environmental Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full UH Environmental Engineering Report

#5

University of Arizona

Tucson, Arizona

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Arizona. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Environmental Engineering Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k. University of Arizona is a large public school situated in Tucson, Arizona. It awarded 17 ’s environmental engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

University of Arizona not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best Environmental Engineering Schools in the Southwest Region” list. It costs about $15,399 for southwest region environmental engineering students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of Arizona.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

Read more about Environmental Engineering at University of Arizona

Oklahoma State University - Main Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Environmental Engineering Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #6. Oklahoma State University - Main Campus is located in Stillwater, Oklahoma and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 2 ’s environmental engineering degrees to qualified students.

OSU also made our “Best Environmental Engineering Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #6. The estimated yearly cost for OSU is $14,698 for southwest region environmental engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Environmental Engineering at OSU

Arizona State University - Tempe did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Environmental Engineering Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #7. Arizona State University - Tempe is located in Tempe, Arizona and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 47 ’s environmental engineering degrees to qualified students.

ASU - Tempe not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best Environmental Engineering Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for ASU - Tempe is $14,033 for Southwest Region Environmental Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full ASU - Tempe Environmental Engineering Report

#8

Texas Tech University

Lubbock, Texas

Texas Tech University ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Environmental Engineering Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. This large school is located in Lubbock, Texas, and it awarded 50 ’s environmental engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

Texas Tech also took the #5 spot in our “Best Environmental Engineering Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. It costs about $17,421 for Southwest Region Environmental Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Texas Tech.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Environmental Engineering at Texas Tech

#9

Lamar University

Beaumont, Texas

Lamar University ranked #9 on this year’s Best Value Environmental Engineering Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. This fairly large school is located in Beaumont, Texas, and it awarded 6 ’s environmental engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

Lamar University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best Environmental Engineering Schools in the Southwest Region” list. It costs about $14,818 for southwest region environmental engineering students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Lamar University.

Read more about Environmental Engineering at Lamar University

The University of Texas at El Paso ranked #10 on this year’s Best Value Environmental Engineering Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. This large school is located in El Paso, Texas, and it awarded 12 ’s environmental engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southwest region environmental engineering students whose families make $48-$75k list, UTEP has also earned the #16 rank in our “Best Environmental Engineering Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. It costs about $10,786 for Southwest Region Environmental Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend The University of Texas at El Paso.

Full UTEP Environmental Engineering Report

New Mexico State University - Main Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Environmental Engineering Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #11. NMSU Main Campus is located in Las Cruces, New Mexico and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 3 ’s environmental engineering degrees to qualified students.

NMSU Main Campus not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #18 on our “Best Environmental Engineering Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The yearly cost to attend NMSU Main Campus is $10,235 for southwest region environmental engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read more about Environmental Engineering at NMSU Main Campus

With a ranking of #12, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Environmental Engineering Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Socorro, New Mexico is the setting for this small institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s environmental engineering degrees to 8 students in 2019-2020.

New Mexico Tech also took the #12 spot in our “Best Environmental Engineering Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. It costs about $14,429 for southwest region environmental engineering students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend New Mexico Tech.

Since the school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on Environmental Engineering at New Mexico Tech

Texas A&M University - Kingsville did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Environmental Engineering Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking, coming in at #13. This medium-sized school is located in Kingsville, Texas, and it awarded 23 ’s environmental engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

Texas A&M Kingsville also made our “Best Environmental Engineering Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #14. It costs about $14,464 for southwest region environmental engineering students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Texas A&M Kingsville.

Read full report on Environmental Engineering at Texas A&M University - Kingsville

#14

West Texas A&M University

Canyon, Texas

West Texas A&M University landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value Environmental Engineering Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. West Texas A&M University is located in Canyon, Texas and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 3 ’s environmental engineering degrees to qualified students.

West Texas A&M University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #17 on our “Best Environmental Engineering Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for West Texas A&M University is $11,101 for Southwest Region Environmental Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

Read full report on Environmental Engineering at West Texas A&M University

#15

Northern Arizona University

Flagstaff, Arizona

With a ranking of #15, Northern Arizona University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Environmental Engineering Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. This large school is located in Flagstaff, Arizona, and it awarded 31 ’s environmental engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southwest region environmental engineering students whose families make $48-$75k list, NAU has also earned the #15 rank in our “Best Environmental Engineering Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. It costs about $12,675 for Southwest Region Environmental Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Northern Arizona University.

Read full report on Environmental Engineering at NAU

University of Oklahoma Norman Campus came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Environmental Engineering Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k ranking. This large school is located in Norman, Oklahoma, and it awarded 19 ’s environmental engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

University of Oklahoma also took the #8 spot in our “Best Environmental Engineering Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. It costs about $21,812 for Southwest Region Environmental Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend University of Oklahoma Norman Campus.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 4.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%.

Read more about Environmental Engineering at University of Oklahoma Norman Campus

#17

Tarleton State University

Stephenville, Texas

Tarleton State University ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Environmental Engineering Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Tarleton State University is a fairly large school located in Stephenville, Texas that handed out 5 ’s environmental engineering degrees in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southwest region environmental engineering students whose families make $48-$75k list, Tarleton has also earned the #10 rank in our “Best Environmental Engineering Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. It costs about $19,542 for Southwest Region Environmental Engineering students whose families make $48-$75k per year to attend Tarleton State University.

Full Tarleton State University Environmental Engineering Report

With a ranking of #18, Southern Methodist University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Environmental Engineering Schools in the Southwest Region For Those Making $48-$75k list. Southern Methodist University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Dallas, Texas. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 25 ’s degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at SMU, the school also landed the #3 spot in our “Best Environmental Engineering Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend SMU is $31,813 for southwest region environmental engineering students whose families make $48-$75k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 90%. The low student loan default rate of 4.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about Environmental Engineering at Southern Methodist University

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Notes and References

References

  • 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).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

Credits

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