2027 Best Value Petroleum Engineering Schools in the Southwest Region
[Petroleum Engineering](/majors/engineering/petroleum-engineering/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The best values balance affordable tuition against strong post-graduation earnings.
For its 2027 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 7 schools to find the best return on investment for petroleum engineering students.
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2027 Best Value Petroleum Engineering Schools in the Southwest Region
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in petroleum engineering, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Petroleum Engineering Schools
Our analysis ranked The University Of Texas Of The Permian Basin the best value for a degree in petroleum engineering in the Southwest Region. Set in the city of Odessa, The University Of Texas Of The Permian Basin is a moderately-sized public institution. 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 petroleum engineering graduates is $24,500. Soon after graduation, petroleum engineering degree recipients from The University Of Texas Of The Permian Basin generally make around $61,299. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The University Of Texas Of The Permian Basin admits about 95% of applicants.
University Of Houston came in at #2 on our 2027 list of the best value petroleum engineering schools. University Of Houston is a very large public school located in the city of Houston. 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 petroleum engineering program here. Soon after graduation, petroleum engineering degree recipients from University Of Houston generally make around $52,295. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 74%.
University Of Tulsa is a great value for students pursuing a degree in petroleum engineering, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the city of Tulsa, University Of Tulsa is a mid-sized private not-for-profit university. Students from in state pay about $49,546 in tuition and fees. Typical student debt for petroleum engineering graduates is $27,000. Soon after graduation, petroleum engineering degree recipients from University Of Tulsa generally make around $62,482. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 62% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Oklahoma Norman Campus is a great value for students pursuing a degree in petroleum engineering, landing the #4 spot this year. Located in the suburb of Norman, University Of Oklahoma Norman Campus is a very large public university. Students from in state pay about $9,797 in tuition and fees, while out-of-state students pay about $27,377. Typical student debt for petroleum engineering graduates is $24,625. Petroleum Engineering graduates of University Of Oklahoma Norman Campus earn a median of $61,223 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $24,625 median debt. University Of Oklahoma Norman Campus admits about 77% of applicants.
The strong cost-to-outcome balance at Texas Tech University earned it the #5 place for petroleum engineering. Set in the city of Lubbock, Texas Tech University is a very large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,852, with out-of-state students paying around $24,157. Petroleum Engineering graduates carry a median of $26,090 in student loans. Early-career petroleum engineering graduates make about $80,460. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 73%.
The University Of Texas At Austin ranked #6 on our 2027 list of the best value petroleum engineering schools. Set in the city of Austin, The University Of Texas At Austin is a very large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $11,688, compared with $44,908 for out-of-state students. Petroleum Engineering graduates carry a median of $17,239 in student loans. 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 University Of Texas At Austin admits about 27% of applicants.
Texas A And M University College Station ranked #7 on our 2027 list of the best value petroleum engineering schools. Texas A And M University College Station is a very large public school located in the city of College Station. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $12,995, while out-of-state students pay about $40,124. Students borrow a median of $19,000 to complete the petroleum engineering program here. Early-career petroleum engineering graduates make about $120,587. That is a strong return on a $19,000 median debt. Roughly 57% of applicants are accepted.
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Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2027 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 7 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.
