Cheapest Electrical Colleges in Texas

Rice University breaks every assumption about private college costs, charging students just $12,640 net annually for electrical engineering despite a $58,128 sticker price. This places Rice firmly in the middle of Texas's 20 electrical, electronics, and communications engineering programs, which span from $6,500 at UT Rio Grande Valley to $20,071 at the most expensive options. Texas leads the nation in energy production and technology infrastructure, creating substantial demand for electrical engineers across power generation, telecommunications, and semiconductor manufacturing. The state's public universities dominate affordability rankings, with six schools charging under $12,000 net annually. Graduates entering Texas's electrical engineering job market earn between $55,693 and $80,550, reflecting the state's strong technology sector anchored by companies like Texas Instruments, Dell Technologies, and major utilities like CenterPoint Energy. The University of Houston produces some of the highest-earning graduates at $74,576 annually, while maintaining reasonable debt levels of $22,625.

Programs

$6,500 – $41,942

Net Price Range

$68,562

Avg. Program Earnings

56.5%

Avg. Graduation Rate

27 Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering Programs

Program rankings
#	School	Net Price	In-State Tuition	Graduation Rate	Acceptance Rate
1	The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Edinburg, Texas	$6,500	$9,859	49.3%	87.7%
2	Texas A & M University-Kingsville Kingsville, Texas	$10,204	$9,892	45.6%	96.6%
3	The University of Texas at El Paso El Paso, Texas	$10,726	$9,744	45.9%	99.9%
4	The University of Texas at San Antonio San Antonio, Texas	$11,234	$8,991	51.2%	86.9%
5	Texas A & M University-Commerce Commerce, Texas	$11,268	$10,026	45.9%	86.5%
6	Lamar University Beaumont, Texas	$11,429	$8,690	37.2%	83.7%
7	Texas A&M University-Texarkana Texarkana, Texas	$12,637	$7,930	31.2%	91.5%
8	Rice University Houston, Texas	$12,640	$58,128	95.7%	8.7%
9	University of Houston Houston, Texas	$13,853	$9,711	64.9%	66.2%
10	The University of Texas at Tyler Tyler, Texas	$13,931	$9,920	46.8%	93.9%
11	Prairie View A & M University Prairie View, Texas	$14,041	$11,299	43.2%	76.1%
12	University of North Texas Denton, Texas	$14,352	$11,164	59.6%	79.1%
13	Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi Corpus Christi, Texas	$15,137	$9,748	33.7%	88.0%
14	The University of Texas at Arlington Arlington, Texas	$15,235	$11,728	56.5%	80.8%
15	Texas State University San Marcos, Texas	$16,438	$11,450	56.2%	87.7%
16	The University of Texas at Dallas Richardson, Texas	$17,435	$14,564	70.8%	84.7%
17	The University of Texas at Austin Austin, Texas	$19,678	$11,678	87.6%	31.4%
18	Houston Christian University Houston, Texas	$19,710	$38,100	49.8%	84.5%
19	Texas Southern University Houston, Texas	$19,734	$9,173	19.9%	96.8%
20	Texas Tech University Lubbock, Texas	$20,071	$11,852	67.5%	67.3%
21	Tarleton State University Stephenville, Texas	$20,261	$7,878	51.2%	87.1%
22	West Texas A & M University Canyon, Texas	$20,841	$9,101	47.3%	91.6%
23	Texas A & M University-College Station College Station, Texas	$20,924	$13,099	83.8%	62.7%
24	St. Mary's University San Antonio, Texas	$21,352	$36,242	58.8%	86.2%
25	LeTourneau University Longview, Texas	$25,314	$35,500	61.1%	48.8%
26	Southern Methodist University Dallas, Texas	$41,778	$64,460	83.3%	52.3%
27	Baylor University Waco, Texas	$41,942	$54,844	80.2%	45.9%

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes Rice University so affordable compared to other private schools?

Rice University offers need-based financial aid that reduces costs to $12,640 net annually, despite charging $58,128 in tuition and fees. The university's substantial endowment allows generous aid packages for qualified students. Rice also maintains a 95.7% graduation rate, the highest among Texas electrical engineering programs. This combination of affordability and outcomes makes Rice competitive with public universities.

How do graduation rates vary among the most affordable programs?

Graduation rates range dramatically from 31.2% at Texas A&M University-Texarkana to 95.7% at Rice University. Among the most affordable options, UT Rio Grande Valley graduates 49.3% of students while charging just $6,500 net annually. Texas A&M Kingsville achieves a 45.6% graduation rate at $10,204 net cost. Public universities generally show graduation rates between 30-65%, with University of Houston leading at 64.9%.

What starting salaries can graduates expect in Texas?

University of Houston graduates earn the highest starting salaries at $74,576 annually, followed by Prairie View A&M at $70,009. UT Tyler graduates earn $69,338 despite the university's lower net cost of $13,931. Even the most affordable program, UT Rio Grande Valley at $6,500 net cost, produces graduates earning $55,693. Texas's strong energy and technology sectors support these competitive salary ranges across different institutions.

Does attending a more expensive program guarantee higher earnings?

Higher costs don't necessarily translate to higher earnings in Texas electrical engineering programs. UT Tyler charges $13,931 net but produces graduates earning $69,338, while more expensive programs like UT Arlington at $15,235 net show lower earnings of $66,461. Prairie View A&M demonstrates this pattern clearly, charging $14,041 net while delivering $70,009 in graduate earnings. Program quality and industry connections matter more than price tags.

Where do the most affordable programs accept the highest percentage of applicants?

UT El Paso accepts 99.92% of applicants while charging just $10,726 net annually, making it highly accessible. Texas A&M Kingsville admits 96.55% of students at $10,204 net cost. UT Tyler accepts 93.87% of applicants at $13,931 net price. These high acceptance rates, combined with low costs, make electrical engineering education accessible to students across different academic backgrounds and financial situations.

More Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering Rankings

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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.