Best Value Mechanical Engineering Colleges in Texas

Rice University breaks the typical public school dominance in Texas mechanical engineering value, delivering $68,219 median earnings for just $12,640 net cost despite its $58,128 sticker price. This places the Houston private institution among the state's top performers alongside public powerhouses like Texas A&M College Station, which leads earnings at $73,697. The geographic spread tells an interesting story, with programs clustered around Texas's major industrial centers where mechanical engineers support the state's massive energy sector, including refineries along the Gulf Coast and wind farms across West Texas. Net costs range from an remarkable $6,500 at UT Rio Grande Valley to $20,924 at Texas A&M, while graduation rates span from 37.2% to 95.7%. The acceptance rate spectrum runs equally wide, from Rice's selective 8.68% to UT El Paso's near-universal 99.92% admission rate.

Programs

$6,500 – $41,942

Net Price Range

$64,486

Avg. Program Earnings

58.0%

Avg. Graduation Rate

28 Mechanical Engineering Programs

Program rankings
#	School	Net Price	Program Earnings	In-State Tuition	Graduation Rate	Acceptance Rate
1	The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Edinburg, Texas	$6,500	$52,107	$9,859	49.3%	87.7%
2	The University of Texas Permian Basin Odessa, Texas	$9,144	$69,732	$10,904	43.0%	94.7%
3	Lamar University Beaumont, Texas	$11,429	$73,446	$8,690	37.2%	83.7%
4	Texas A & M University-Kingsville Kingsville, Texas	$10,204	$62,012	$9,892	45.6%	96.6%
5	The University of Texas at El Paso El Paso, Texas	$10,726	$58,943	$9,744	45.9%	99.9%
6	Rice University Houston, Texas	$12,640	$68,219	$58,128	95.7%	8.7%
7	The University of Texas at San Antonio San Antonio, Texas	$11,234	$59,485	$8,991	51.2%	86.9%
8	University of Houston Houston, Texas	$13,853	$71,202	$9,711	64.9%	66.2%
9	Prairie View A & M University Prairie View, Texas	$14,041	$69,757	$11,299	43.2%	76.1%
10	Midwestern State University Wichita Falls, Texas	$11,882	$55,964	$10,310	41.3%	92.4%
11	The University of Texas at Tyler Tyler, Texas	$13,931	$64,706	$9,920	46.8%	93.9%
12	The University of Texas at Arlington Arlington, Texas	$15,235	$64,824	$11,728	56.5%	80.8%
13	University of North Texas Denton, Texas	$14,352	$58,866	$11,164	59.6%	79.1%
14	The University of Texas at Austin Austin, Texas	$19,678	$71,959	$11,678	87.6%	31.4%
15	Texas A & M University-College Station College Station, Texas	$20,924	$73,697	$13,099	83.8%	62.7%
16	Texas Tech University Lubbock, Texas	$20,071	$69,596	$11,852	67.5%	67.3%
17	The University of Texas at Dallas Richardson, Texas	$17,435	$60,125	$14,564	70.8%	84.7%
18	Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi Corpus Christi, Texas	$15,137	$52,107	$9,748	33.7%	88.0%
19	West Texas A & M University Canyon, Texas	$20,841	$58,402	$9,101	47.3%	91.6%
20	LeTourneau University Longview, Texas	$25,314	$63,600	$35,500	61.1%	48.8%
21	Southern Methodist University Dallas, Texas	$41,778	$73,035	$64,460	83.3%	52.3%
22	Baylor University Waco, Texas	$41,942	$66,897	$54,844	80.2%	45.9%
23	Tarleton State University Stephenville, Texas	$20,261		$7,878	51.2%	87.1%
24	Angelo State University San Angelo, Texas	$12,915		$8,319	40.7%	79.1%
25	Texas Christian University Fort Worth, Texas	$33,531		$57,220	85.6%	56.1%
26	University of St Thomas Houston, Texas	$18,762		$33,660	68.6%	96.7%
27	University of Houston-Clear Lake Houston, Texas	$11,056		$7,746	50.9%	69.4%
28	Texas A&M University-Texarkana Texarkana, Texas	$12,637		$7,930	31.2%	91.5%

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Rice University compete on value despite being private?

Rice delivers strong financial aid that reduces its $58,128 sticker price to just $12,640 net cost, making it competitive with public options. Graduates earn $68,219 median salary while carrying only $15,375 in debt. The university's 95.7% graduation rate means students actually complete their degrees, unlike some cheaper alternatives with rates below 50%.

What explains the $14,424 gap between the cheapest and most expensive programs?

UT Rio Grande Valley offers the lowest net cost at $6,500, while Texas A&M College Station tops the range at $20,924. Geographic location drives much of this difference, with border and rural campuses offering lower costs. However, A&M's graduates earn $21,590 more annually than Rio Grande Valley's, potentially justifying the higher investment.

Is graduation rate connected to program cost in Texas mechanical engineering?

Higher-cost programs generally produce better graduation outcomes, though exceptions exist. Rice leads with 95.7% graduation rates, followed by UT Austin at 87.6% and Texas A&M at 83.8%. Meanwhile, budget options like Lamar University show just 37.2% graduation rates despite producing graduates who earn $73,446 annually.

Does location within Texas affect mechanical engineering career prospects?

Programs near major industrial centers show strong earning potential, with Houston-area schools like Rice and University of Houston producing graduates earning $68,219 and $71,202 respectively. Border programs like UT El Paso and UT Rio Grande Valley show lower earnings around $52,000-$59,000. Texas's energy infrastructure creates concentrated opportunities in Houston, Dallas, and Austin metropolitan areas.

How do acceptance rates correlate with program outcomes in Texas?

The most selective program, Rice at 8.68% acceptance, produces the highest graduation rate but not the highest earnings. UT El Paso accepts 99.92% of applicants yet maintains reasonable graduation rates of 45.9%. Mid-tier selectivity around 60-80% acceptance often balances accessibility with strong outcomes, as seen at Texas A&M and UT Austin.

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Net price reflects the average cost after grants and scholarships for first-time, full-time students. See our methodology for details.