Program Analysis
At $80,460 per year, Petroleum Engineering graduates from Texas Tech University significantly outpace the $64,106 national average for this major, reflecting strong employer demand for this program's graduates.
Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 21.1x in decade earnings — an exceptional ratio that places this among the highest-ROI Petroleum Engineering programs nationally.
Some AI exposure exists in Petroleum Engineering's typical career paths, with 48% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 20% gap from the optimistic case.
The median debt load of $24,850 represents less than half a year of starting salary — among the lightest debt-to-income ratios we track.
At #2 of 18 nationally, this is a top-5% Petroleum Engineering program. Financial outcomes consistently outperform the vast majority of peers.
Earnings grow from $80,460 to $116,140 over five years — a 44% increase that's moderate and in line with typical career progression.