Electrical, Electronics and Communications Engineering at The University of Texas at San Antonio

UTSA's electrical engineering program lands graduates in the middle of Texas's competitive landscape—sitting at the 40th percentile statewide—but trails both national and state medians by roughly $7,000 to $8,000 annually. First-year earnings of $70,489 place this program well below flagship peers like UT Austin ($97K) and even regional competitors like University of Houston ($86K). The 13% earnings growth to nearly $80K by year four is solid, but doesn't close the initial gap.

The value case here depends heavily on affordability. At $26,971 in median debt—just slightly above state and national averages—graduates face a manageable 0.38 debt-to-earnings ratio, meaning they'll owe roughly five months of their first year's salary. For students paying in-state tuition at this 88% admission rate school, especially the 42% receiving Pell grants, this represents accessible entry into a stable engineering career without the crushing debt load that derails many graduates.

The tradeoff is clear: UTSA offers a financially reasonable path to engineering work, but not the premium earning potential of Texas's elite programs. If your child has admission options at UT Austin, Texas A&M, or UH, those programs deliver substantially higher returns. But for students who need the accessibility of UTSA's open-door admissions or who are prioritizing staying in San Antonio, this program gets them to a decent middle-class engineering salary without financial catastrophe.