Petroleum Engineeringat Texas A & M University-Kingsville
Graduates earn $43,257/yr in their first year — about 33.0% below the national Petroleum Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $495K; scenarios range from $471K to $495K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at Texas A & M University-Kingsville
The outcomes for this program reflect a challenging confluence of factors specific to its regional context and the broader industry. While South Texas is undeniably an energy hub, the local labor market often leans towards field operations, production support, and regional service companies. These roles, while vital, can have different entry-level compensation and career growth trajectories than the national averages seen for petroleum engineers, which often include positions at major integrated companies or in specialized R&D.
As a regional public university, A&M-Kingsville's program may face different recruiting pipelines, placing graduates more frequently with smaller, localized firms rather than supermajors. The industry itself is undergoing significant transformation due to automation and the global energy transition, which impacts demand for new engineers. To navigate this landscape successfully, you’ll need to aggressively pursue internships, network extensively, and consider diversifying your skills into areas like data analytics or energy management to broaden your career prospects.
Three scenarios, ten years out
Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.
10 year projection
Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Texas A & M University-Kingsville's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.
Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.
Peer schools offering Petroleum Engineering
How Texas A & M University-Kingsville stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at Texas A & M University-Kingsville
Other highest-scoring programs offered at Texas A & M University-Kingsville, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Frequently asked about Petroleum Engineering at Texas A & M University-Kingsville
How does Texas A & M University-Kingsville's Petroleum Engineering program score?
This program scores 43/100 — on the lower end for Petroleum Engineering. Prospective students should carefully weigh costs against likely earnings.
How vulnerable is Petroleum Engineering to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Petroleum Engineering careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 48% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.
Why are Petroleum Engineering earnings lower at Texas A & M University-Kingsville?
Lower starting pay at Texas A & M University-Kingsville may reflect local labor market conditions rather than program quality. Many graduates see convergence with national averages within 3-5 years.