by our College Data Analytics Team
[Systems Engineering](/majors/engineering/systems-engineering/) graduates earn very different salaries depending on where they study. A top-earning program sends graduates into careers with strong starting pay.
For its 2026 highest-paid-graduates ranking, College Factual looked at 5 schools to find where systems engineering graduates earn the most.
What’s on this page:
If you want to know which schools send systems engineering graduates into the highest-paying careers, see the list below.
Leading the list is University Of Arizona, our #1 for systems engineering graduate salaries in the Southwest Region. Located in the city of Tucson, University Of Arizona is a public institution. Early-career systems engineering graduates from University Of Arizona make a median of around $103,877 per year.
A rank of #2 makes Southern Methodist University one of the highest-paying schools for systems engineering. Southern Methodist University is a private not-for-profit school located in the suburb of Dallas. Systems Engineering graduates of Southern Methodist University earn a median of about $137,839 a year early in their careers.
The University Of Texas At Dallas produces some of the highest-paid graduates in systems engineering, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the city of Richardson, The University Of Texas At Dallas is a public institution. Students who complete the systems engineering program here go on to a median salary of roughly $109,325.
Texas A And M International University produces some of the highest-paid graduates in systems engineering, landing the #4 spot this year. Located in the city of Laredo, Texas A And M International University is a public institution. Early-career systems engineering graduates from Texas A And M International University make a median of around $49,755 per year.
Strong graduate earnings at The University Of Texas At El Paso earned it the #5 place for systems engineering. The University Of Texas At El Paso is a public school located in the city of El Paso. Systems Engineering graduates of The University Of Texas At El Paso earn a median of about $77,904 a year early in their careers.
This list is compiled by College Factual, 2026 edition. Schools are ranked on the median early-career earnings of their systems engineering graduates, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 5 schools evaluated.
*Salary figures reflect median early-career earnings (about 5 years after graduation) and may vary by how long a person takes to complete their degree.
More about our data sources and methodologies.