Construction Engineering Technologies at Prairie View A & M University

Prairie View A&M's construction engineering technology program produces graduates earning around $61,000—roughly $11,000 below both the national and Texas medians for this degree. While the state percentile ranking (25th) might suggest middle-of-the-pack performance, this program actually sits at the bottom nationally (5th percentile), with graduates earning less than 95% of their peers nationwide. Every other construction engineering technology program in Texas delivers higher earnings, from Texas A&M's $77,800 down to Sam Houston State's $72,100.

The $31,000 debt load is manageable in absolute terms, translating to a 0.51 debt-to-earnings ratio that won't be crushing. But here's the puzzle: earnings don't grow—they actually slip slightly by year four. For a construction-focused degree where experience typically commands higher pay, this stagnation raises questions about graduate outcomes or career paths.

For families considering this program, the math is straightforward: you'll likely graduate with serviceable debt but earnings about $15,000 below what you'd see at Texas A&M or Texas State. If Prairie View offers significantly lower tuition or other compelling reasons to attend, those savings matter. But purely as an investment in construction engineering credentials, stronger options exist across Texas that deliver both higher starting salaries and better long-term earnings trajectories.