Home Schools University of Texas Rio Grande Valley Electrical Engineering
Engineering · Electrical Engineering Rank #196 of 262

Electrical Engineeringat The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

Graduates earn $45,597/yr in their first year — about 41.0% below the national Electrical Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $889K; scenarios range from $740K to $935K depending on AI disruption.

Edinburg, TX Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
64 SOLID
66
Optimistic
63
Pessimistic
Earnings
$45,597
1-year post-graduation
ROI
21.2x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$889K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
Very High
58% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

The earnings data for UTRGV's Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering program reflects its unique regional labor market dynamics rather than a lack of program quality. The Rio Grande Valley economy, while growing, has historically centered on agriculture, cross-border trade, and healthcare, with a developing tech sector. You'll likely find strong demand in regional manufacturing, utilities, and government contractors requiring engineers for process optimization, automation, and maintaining complex systems. These roles, while vital to the local economy and offering solid career progression, typically have compensation structures distinct from major tech hubs on the coasts or even larger Texas cities. The program likely emphasizes practical skills highly valued by these regional employers. Given the field's high AI risk, focusing on hands-on project experience and seeking internships that align with specific, less-automatable specializations will be crucial for your long-term career trajectory.

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
$740K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score63/100
Earnings Multiple18.8x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$889K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score64/100
Earnings Multiple22.5x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$935K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score66/100
Earnings Multiple23.7x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

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

Career Paths

Where Electrical 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
Computer hardware engineers
+7.3% 10-yr growth · 4,700 openings/yr
$155,020/yr
Very High
3
Aerospace engineers
+6.1% 10-yr growth · 4,500 openings/yr
$134,830/yr
High
4
Electronics engineers, except computer
+6.2% 10-yr growth · 5,700 openings/yr
$127,590/yr
High
5
Engineers, all other
+2.1% 10-yr growth · 9,300 openings/yr
$117,750/yr
Moderate
6
Electrical engineers
+7.2% 10-yr growth · 11,700 openings/yr
$111,910/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 Electrical Engineering

How University of Texas Rio Grande Valley stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
Carnegie Mellon University
PA · Private nonprofit
67
DW Score
$139K
1-yr earn
6.2x
ROI
Top score
University of California-Berkeley
CA · Public
79
DW Score
$137K
1-yr earn
39.5x
ROI
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
MA · Private nonprofit
68
DW Score
$117K
1-yr earn
6.9x
ROI
Cornell University
NY · Private nonprofit
65
DW Score
$101K
1-yr earn
4.0x
ROI
Same state (TX)
The University of Texas at Austin
TX · Public
77
DW Score
$97K
1-yr earn
25.4x
ROI
Also at University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

Other top programs at University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

Other highest-scoring programs offered at University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

Consider the trade route

Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Electrical Engineering offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.

Compare Electrical Engineering trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →
FAQ

Frequently asked about Electrical Engineering at University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

How does The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley's Electrical Engineering program score?

A score of 64/100 reflects decent absolute metrics, but The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley trails the majority of Electrical Engineering programs on relative rankings. Context matters more than the raw number.

How vulnerable is Electrical Engineering to AI automation?

AI won't 'replace' Electrical Engineering careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 56% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.

Why are Electrical Engineering earnings lower at The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley?

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