Architectural Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin

UT Austin's architectural engineering program delivers solid returns that outpace most Texas competitors, though the small graduating class (under 30 students) means these numbers could shift significantly year to year. Starting at $73,510, graduates earn about 14% more than the typical Texas architectural engineering grad and see healthy income growth to $92,318 by year four. With debt at just over $25,000, the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.35 suggests manageable repayment—graduates owe roughly four months of their starting salary.

What makes this program noteworthy is its combination of strong earnings growth and the UT Austin pedigree at a relatively modest debt load. The 26% income bump over four years suggests these graduates are advancing into project leadership roles faster than peers. For context, this program ranks at the 60th percentile among Texas architectural engineering programs—solid, but not extraordinary—yet it's educating students at one of the state's most selective engineering schools.

The main caveat here is sample size. With fewer than 30 graduates in the dataset, one cohort landing unusually good (or bad) jobs could skew the picture considerably. Still, for families comfortable with the inherent volatility of a smaller program, the fundamentals look sound: reasonable debt, competitive starting pay in a stable technical field, and strong career trajectory. Just don't expect guaranteed outcomes—small programs mean individual results vary more widely.