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Engineering · Environmental Engineering Rank #29 of 47

Environmental Engineeringat Texas Tech University

Graduates earn $76,708/yr in their first year — about 21.0% above the national Environmental Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $749K; scenarios range from $654K to $776K depending on AI disruption.

Lubbock, TX Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
58 SOLID
59
Optimistic
55
Pessimistic
Earnings
$76,708
1-year post-graduation
ROI
15.2x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$749K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
Very High
55% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at Texas Tech University

While the data provides a clear picture of the financial outcomes, understanding *why* these results appear as they do is crucial. Environmental and Environmental Health Engineering can be a rewarding field, but your specific geographic market significantly impacts opportunities. Lubbock, while a growing city, isn't a primary hub for large-scale environmental consulting or specialized remediation firms that often drive higher salaries.

Graduates from this program might find themselves competing for roles in regional municipalities, state agencies focused on public health or agricultural environmental compliance, or within the local oil and gas sector's environmental health and safety departments. These positions, while stable, may not offer the same career progression or earning potential as those in more active environmental markets on the coasts or in industrial centers. The noted high AI risk suggests that some of the more routine analytical or compliance tasks often handled by entry-level engineers in this region could become automated. Before committing, deeply research the specific types of companies hiring in West Texas and consider if their career trajectories align with your aspirations.

AI Outlook Integration

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.

Pessimistic
Mass Automation
$654K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score55/100
Earnings Multiple13.8x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$749K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score58/100
Earnings Multiple15.8x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$776K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score59/100
Earnings Multiple16.4x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Texas Tech University's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.

Career Paths

Where Environmental Engineering graduates typically work

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.

1
Architectural and engineering managers
+3.8% 10-yr growth · 14,500 openings/yr
$167,740/yr
Moderate
2
Health and safety engineers, except mining safety engineers and inspectors
+4.4% 10-yr growth · 1,500 openings/yr
$109,660/yr
High
3
Engineering teachers, postsecondary
+8.1% 10-yr growth · 4,100 openings/yr
$106,120/yr
High
4
Environmental engineers
+3.9% 10-yr growth · 3,000 openings/yr
$104,170/yr
High
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. AI exposure from OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs and Felten AIOE research.
Compare & Explore

Peer schools offering Environmental Engineering

How Texas Tech University stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
CA · Public
71
DW Score
$82K
1-yr earn
18.5x
ROI
Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus
GA · Public
68
DW Score
$70K
1-yr earn
17.5x
ROI
Cornell University
NY · Private nonprofit
52
DW Score
$70K
1-yr earn
2.3x
ROI
University of Wisconsin-Platteville
WI · Public
68
DW Score
$69K
1-yr earn
21.5x
ROI
Oregon State University
OR · Public
65
DW Score
$68K
1-yr earn
14.0x
ROI
Also at Texas Tech University

Other top programs at Texas Tech University

Other highest-scoring programs offered at Texas Tech University, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

FAQ

Frequently asked about Environmental Engineering at Texas Tech University

How does Texas Tech University's Environmental Engineering program score?

A score of 58/100 reflects decent absolute metrics, but Texas Tech University trails the majority of Environmental Engineering programs on relative rankings. Context matters more than the raw number.

How vulnerable is Environmental Engineering to AI automation?

AI won't 'replace' Environmental Engineering careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 50% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.