2026 Best Value General Petroleum Engineering Schools in Texas
[General Petroleum Engineering](/majors/engineering/petroleum-engineering/general-petroleum-engineering/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong general petroleum engineering education at a price that pays off.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 7 schools on the balance of cost and outcomes for general petroleum engineering students.
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2026 Best Value General Petroleum Engineering Schools in Texas
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the general petroleum engineering degrees they offer, see the list below.
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 Texas. Set in the city of Odessa, The University Of Texas Of The Permian Basin is a moderately-sized public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $9,607, while out-of-state students pay about $21,900. General Petroleum Engineering graduates carry a median of $24,500 in student loans. General Petroleum Engineering graduates of The University Of Texas Of The Permian Basin earn a median of $61,299 early in their careers. Set against $24,500 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 95% of applicants are accepted.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at University Of Houston earned it the #2 place for general petroleum engineering. 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. Students borrow a median of $23,366 to complete the general petroleum engineering program here. General Petroleum Engineering graduates of University Of Houston earn a median of $52,295 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $23,366 median debt. University Of Houston admits about 74% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in general petroleum engineering will find it at The University Of Texas At Austin, which ranked #3. Located in the city of Austin, The University Of Texas At Austin is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $11,688, compared with $44,908 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for general petroleum engineering graduates is $17,239. General Petroleum Engineering graduates of The University Of Texas At Austin earn a median of $86,761 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $17,239 median debt. The acceptance rate is 27%.
Texas Tech University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in general petroleum engineering, landing the #4 spot this year. Set in the city of Lubbock, Texas Tech University is a very large public institution. In-state tuition and fees average $11,852, while out-of-state students pay about $24,157. General Petroleum Engineering graduates carry a median of $26,090 in student loans. General Petroleum Engineering graduates of Texas Tech University earn a median of $80,460 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 73%.
Texas A And M University College Station came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the best value general petroleum engineering schools. Located in the city of College Station, Texas A And M University College Station is a very large public university. In-state tuition and fees average $12,995, while out-of-state students pay about $40,124. General Petroleum Engineering graduates carry a median of $19,000 in student loans. General Petroleum Engineering graduates of Texas A And M University College Station earn a median of $120,587 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $19,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 57%.
Notes and References
This list is compiled 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 · 7 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 6 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.
