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Engineering · Computer Engineering Rank #123 of 174

Computer Engineeringat University of Houston

Graduates earn $80,438/yr in their first year — about 2.0% above the national Computer Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $812K; scenarios range from $650K to $852K depending on AI disruption.

Houston, TX Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
72 STRONG
74
Optimistic
66
Pessimistic
Earnings
$80,438
1-year post-graduation
ROI
19.7x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$812K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
Very High
62% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at University of Houston

University of Houston's Computer Engineering program produces graduates earning $80,438/yr — within striking distance of the $78,694 national average for this field.

The 20.9x 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 — 71% task exposure — and the 24% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

Loan repayment is a non-issue here — $21,582 in median debt clears quickly against $80,438 in annual earnings.

At #123 out of 174 programs, University of Houston's financial outcomes for Computer Engineering trail the majority of peers. The value case depends on other factors.

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
$650K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score66/100
Earnings Multiple16.7x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$812K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score72/100
Earnings Multiple20.9x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$852K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score74/100
Earnings Multiple21.9x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

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

Career Paths

Where Computer 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
Database architects
+8.7% 10-yr growth · 4,000 openings/yr
$135,980/yr
Very High
4
Software developers
+15.8% 10-yr growth · 115,200 openings/yr
$133,080/yr
Very High
5
Computer network architects
+11.9% 10-yr growth · 11,200 openings/yr
$130,390/yr
High
6
Engineering teachers, postsecondary
+8.1% 10-yr growth · 4,100 openings/yr
$106,120/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 Computer Engineering

How University of Houston stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
University of Washington-Seattle Campus
WA · Public
88
DW Score
$142K
1-yr earn
43.2x
ROI
University of Washington-Bothell Campus
WA · Public
88
DW Score
$142K
1-yr earn
43.5x
ROI
University of Virginia-Main Campus
VA · Public
84
DW Score
$118K
1-yr earn
15.6x
ROI
California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
CA · Public
87
DW Score
$112K
1-yr earn
32.0x
ROI
Duke University
NC · Private nonprofit
76
DW Score
$111K
1-yr earn
5.6x
ROI
Also at University of Houston

Other top programs at University of Houston

Other highest-scoring programs offered at University of Houston, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

Consider the trade route

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

Compare Computer Engineering trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →
FAQ

Frequently asked about Computer Engineering at University of Houston

How does University of Houston's Computer Engineering program score?

A score of 72/100 reflects decent absolute metrics, but University of Houston trails the majority of Computer Engineering programs on relative rankings. Context matters more than the raw number.

How vulnerable is Computer Engineering to AI automation?

AI won't 'replace' Computer Engineering careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 71% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.