Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering at Southern Methodist University

The estimated earnings trajectory here—starting around $78,000 and reaching $89,000 by year four—tracks closely with typical Texas engineering programs, though it lags the state's top performers by $8,000 to $18,000 in early career. That gap matters when you're comparing SMU's selective profile (1424 SAT average, 61% admission rate) against programs like UT Austin and Rice that consistently place graduates above $96,000. The estimated $26,000 debt load appears manageable with a 0.33 ratio to first-year earnings, but remember you're paying private school tuition for outcomes that comparable programs across Texas routinely achieve.

The four-year jump to nearly $89,000 suggests solid advancement potential, but this also raises questions about why the starting figure sits right at the state median when SMU's selectivity and resources might suggest stronger employer connections. Engineering programs with stronger industry pipelines or specialized tracks often show higher launch points. Without actual outcome data for SMU's specific graduates, you're betting on the school's brand and network to deliver something better than these peer-program estimates suggest—and the comparison to other Texas schools doesn't strongly support that bet. If your child has admission offers from UT, Rice, or even Houston, the numbers argue for taking a hard look at those alternatives before committing to SMU's price tag.