Petroleum Engineering at Texas A&M University-Kingsville

$43,257 in first-year earnings places this petroleum engineering program at the very bottom nationally—only 10% of similar programs report lower outcomes. That's striking for a field known for strong salaries: the typical Texas petroleum engineering graduate earns $65,451, while graduates from this program earn about 34% less. Comparing within the state, UT Austin petroleum engineers start at nearly double these earnings, and even graduates from UT Permian Basin—another regional program—typically earn $61,299.

The estimated debt of $23,366, based on comparable Texas programs at similar institutions, appears manageable on paper with a 0.54 debt-to-earnings ratio. But that metric assumes steady employment in an industry notorious for boom-and-bust cycles. When oil prices drop, petroleum engineering graduates often face extended job searches or lower-paying positions outside their field. Starting at $43,257 leaves little cushion for those downturns.

For a field where employers heavily weight program prestige and recruiting relationships, attending the lowest-performing petroleum engineering program in Texas carries real risk. If your child is set on this major, the clearer path appears to be Texas A&M's main campus in College Station, where outcomes are 61% higher. If Kingsville is the preferred location for financial or personal reasons, mechanical or chemical engineering might offer more stable prospects without sacrificing proximity to home.