2026 Best Value General Petroleum Engineering Schools in the Southwest Region
[General Petroleum Engineering](/majors/engineering/petroleum-engineering/general-petroleum-engineering/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong general petroleum engineering education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 11 schools to find the best return on investment for general petroleum engineering students.
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2026 Best Value General Petroleum Engineering Schools in the Southwest Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in general petroleum engineering, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value General Petroleum Engineering Schools
The University Of Texas Of The Permian Basin earned the #1 spot for value among general petroleum engineering schools in the Southwest Region. Located in the city of Odessa, The University Of Texas Of The Permian Basin is a moderately-sized public university. Students from in state pay about $9,607 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $21,900. Typical student debt for general petroleum engineering graduates is $24,500. General Petroleum Engineering graduates of The University Of Texas Of The Permian Basin earn a median of $61,299 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 95%.
Students looking for strong value in general petroleum engineering will find it at University Of Houston, which ranked #2. Located in the city of Houston, University Of Houston is a very large public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,717, with out-of-state students paying around $22,547. Typical student debt for general petroleum engineering graduates is $23,366. General Petroleum Engineering graduates of University Of Houston earn a median of $52,295 early in their careers. Set against $23,366 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 74%.
University Of Oklahoma Norman Campus came in at #3 on our 2026 list of the best value general petroleum engineering schools. Set in the suburb of Norman, University Of Oklahoma Norman Campus is a very large public institution. Students from in state pay about $9,797 in tuition and fees, compared with $27,377 for out-of-state students. General Petroleum Engineering graduates carry a median of $24,625 in student loans. General Petroleum Engineering graduates of University Of Oklahoma Norman Campus earn a median of $61,223 early in their careers. Set against $24,625 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 77% of applicants are accepted.
The University Of Texas At Austin is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general petroleum engineering, landing the #4 spot this year. Located in the city of Austin, The University Of Texas At Austin is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,688, compared with $44,908 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $17,239 to complete the general petroleum engineering program here. Early-career general petroleum engineering graduates make about $86,761. Set against $17,239 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 27% of applicants are accepted.
Texas Tech University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general petroleum engineering, landing the #5 spot this year. Located in the city of Lubbock, Texas Tech University is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,852, with out-of-state students paying around $24,157. Typical student debt for general petroleum engineering graduates is $26,090. General Petroleum Engineering graduates of Texas Tech University earn a median of $80,460 early in their careers. Set against $26,090 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 73%.
Texas A And M University College Station came in at #6 for value in general petroleum engineering this year. Set in the city of College Station, Texas A And M University College Station is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $12,995, with out-of-state students paying around $40,124. General Petroleum Engineering graduates carry a median of $19,000 in student loans. Early-career general petroleum engineering graduates make about $120,587. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 57%.
University Of Tulsa earned the #7 position for value in general petroleum engineering this year. Set in the city of Tulsa, University Of Tulsa is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $49,546. Typical student debt for general petroleum engineering graduates is $27,000. General Petroleum Engineering graduates of University Of Tulsa earn a median of $66,166 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Roughly 62% of applicants are accepted.
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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 · 11 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 9 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.
