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Metallurgical Engineering at The University of Texas at El Paso

El Paso, TX · Public · Bachelor's Degree

DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition

Optimistic

Base Case

Pessimistic

Earnings $53,478/yr (-25% vs median)

AI Risk High (47% exposed)

Job Market Medium (20,100 openings/yr)

ROI 17.7x earnings multiple (6.8x out-of-state)

Ranked #3 of 4 Metallurgical Engineering programs

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Metallurgical Engineering graduates.

	Optimistic No Disruption	Base Case Gradual AI	Pessimistic Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings	$708K	$691K	$616K
Earnings Multiple (In-State)	18.2x	17.7x	15.8x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State)	6.9x	6.8x	6.0x
Probability of Field Employment	73%	68%	50%
DegreeOutlook Score	64	63	62

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)

$38,976

Out-of-state: $102,048 (6.8x ROI)

4-Year Net Price (After Aid)

$42,904

-10% less than sticker · See by income

Median Debt at Graduation

$20,490

4.6 months of Year 1 earnings

Reported Earnings (5 Year)

$73,613

38% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

At $53,478 per year, Metallurgical Engineering graduates from The University of Texas at El Paso earn below the $71,268 national average. Lower costs or geographic factors may offset the earnings gap.

The 17.7x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.

AI risk is moderate — 47% task exposure — and the 13% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

The median debt load of $20,490 represents less than half a year of starting salary — among the lightest debt-to-income ratios we track.

With only 4 programs offering Metallurgical Engineering nationally, this is a niche field. The University of Texas at El Paso ranks #3 among them.

The five-year earnings trajectory from $53,478 to $73,613 shows 38% growth, reflecting steady but unremarkable salary progression.

About The University of Texas at El Paso

With 100% of applicants admitted, The University of Texas at El Paso prioritizes broad access, with 20,547 students enrolled in El Paso, TX. With 61% of students on Pell Grants, the campus draws from a broad economic spectrum.

See all programs and financial aid at The University of Texas at El Paso →

Top Career Paths

Architectural and engineering managers $167,740/yr

Materials engineers $108,310/yr

Engineering teachers, postsecondary $106,120/yr

View all 3 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Metallurgical Engineering at Other Schools

Other Majors at The University of Texas at El Paso

Frequently Asked Questions

How does The University of Texas at El Paso's Metallurgical Engineering program score?

A score of 63/100 reflects decent absolute metrics, but The University of Texas at El Paso trails the majority of Metallurgical Engineering programs on relative rankings. Context matters more than the raw number.

How vulnerable is Metallurgical Engineering to AI automation?

AI won't 'replace' Metallurgical Engineering careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 47% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.

Why are Metallurgical Engineering earnings lower at The University of Texas at El Paso?

Lower starting pay at The University of Texas at El Paso may reflect local labor market conditions rather than program quality. Many graduates see convergence with national averages within 3-5 years.

Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →