Those interested in studying engineering from one of the affordable and innovative engineering colleges in Texas will find that the field of engineering offers a wide range of potential occupations across many economic sectors.
Engineering professionals apply sound and sophisticated mathematical and scientific principles to solve various technical problems. As such, engineers typically have strong critical thinking skills that are used to problem solve – typically in a team environment.
Top 5 Engineering Colleges in Texas
| Rank | School | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The University of Texas Permian Basin | Odessa, Texas |
| 2 | Texas Southern University | Houston, Texas |
| 3 | Texas Tech University | Lubbock, Texas |
| 4 | The University Of North Texas | Denton, Texas |
| 5 | Sam Houston State University | Huntsville, Texas |
Engineering majors have always been in high-demand as professionals; however, with consistent technological advancements touching every field and discipline, engineering principles and cutting-edge developments to help solve some of the globe’s most challenging technical issues.
Students with interest in enrolling in one of the quality engineering colleges in Texas will find that there are programs to suit every engineering specialty – both on-campus and online. Engineering professionals are trained to do everything from building bridges to developing special effects used in movie-making to the application of testing techniques on aerospace or aircraft parts and products.
The federal government’s Bureau of Labor Statistics tracks sixteen engineering-related occupations as follows–
| Civil Engineering | Mechanical Engineering | Industrial Engineering | Electrical Engineering |
| Electronics Engineering | Petroleum Engineering | Environmental Engineering | Aerospace Engineering |
| Computer Engineering Hardware | Chemical Engineering | Health/Safety Engineering | Biomedical Engineering |
| Marine/Naval Engineering | Mining/Geological | Materials Engineering | Agricultural Engineering |
Some of the more popular cities for engineering colleges in Texas are located in Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio, although the state’s school system throughout offers engineering programs in many remote areas and at online colleges.
Best 15 Engineering Colleges in Texas
The University of Texas Permian Basin
Located in Odessa, Texas, UT – the University of Texas Permian Basin (UT Permian Basin)’s College of Engineering offers one of the top baccalaureate engineering degrees from one of the best engineering colleges in Texas.
Program Options
- Bachelor’s degrees covering Mechanical (5 tracks), Chemical, Electrical, and Petroleum Engineering
- Master’s degrees covering mechanical engineering
School Overview
Texas Southern University
Texas Southern University’s College of Science Engineering & Technology/Department of Engineering offers a variety of engineering degree programs at the baccalaureate level from one of the top engineering colleges in Texas.
Program Options
- Bachelor’s degrees covering Computer, Electrical, Civil, Electronics, Computer Engineering, and Civil Engineering Technology
School Overview
Texas Tech University
Texas Tech University’s Whitacre College of Engineering, located in Lubbock, is one of the most innovative and comprehensive engineering colleges in Texas, offering more than 30 engineering degrees at various academic levels.
Program Options
- 11 Baccalaureate degrees in engineering
- 12 Master’s levels degrees in engineering
- 8 Doctoral degree engineering programs
School Overview
The University Of North Texas
The University Of North Texas’s College of Engineering (COE), situated in Denton, is one of the top engineering colleges in Texas, offering two dozen engineering programs at the baccalaureate, master’s, and doctoral levels. UNT maintains international partnerships that facilitate study abroad opportunities for UNT’s engineering degree candidates.
Program Options
- Bachelor’s degrees (BS in nine engineering specialties); BA in Information Technology or BSET in Construction or Mechanical Engineering Technology
- Master’s degrees (MS in eleven engineering specialties)
- Ph.D. degrees in four engineering areas
School Overview
Sam Houston State University
The Science & Engineering Technology College at Sam Houston State University, situated in Huntsville, offers several baccalaureate engineering degree programs that are among the best in the state of Texas. Students graduate from SHSU and enter the workforce as an engineering technologist in systems development, quality control, product design, or technical sales, among others.
Program Options
- Bachelor’s degrees covering Engineering Technology, Engineering Design Technology, Electronics
School Overview
Lamar University
Lamar University’s College of Engineering, situated in Beaumont, offers a variety of engineering degrees at the bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral levels. AS one of the most innovative engineering colleges in Texas, Lamar also offers a number of baccalaureate and master’s level combo programs that allow students to complete the two degrees in only five years.
Program Options
- Baccalaureate degrees covering Chemical, Civil, Construction Management, Electrical, Industrial, and Mechanical Engineering
- Master’s (ME, MES) degrees covering Chemical, Civil, Electrical, Industrial, and Mechanical Engineering
- Master’s (MS) Environmental Studies, Environmental Engineering or Port/Terminal Management
- Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering
School Overview
Prairie View A&M University
Prairie View A&M University’s Perry College of Engineering is one of the most comprehensive engineering colleges in Texas, offering engineering degrees at the bachelor’s, graduate, and doctoral levels. Additionally, Prairie View A&M offers a combination of BS/MS Mechanical, Civil, Chemical, Electrical, Computer Science, Computer Information, and Computer Engineering.
Program Options
- Baccalaureate degrees covering Chemical, Civil, Computer, Computer Science, Systems, Electrical Engineering, and Mechanical Engineering.
- Masters (MS) degrees covering Computer Information Systems, Electrical Engineering, and Engineering.
- Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering
School Overview
Stephen F. Austin State University
Located in Nacogdoches, Stephen F. Austin State University Department of Physics, Engineering & Astronomy
is recognized as one of the top engineering colleges in Texas and an engineering college of distinction. This dual degree offers students a unique perspective and an in-demand degree.
Program Options
- Bachelor’s degrees covering Engineering Physics
School Overview
The University Of Texas
The Cockrell Engineering School, at UT – the University Of Texas (UT Austin) is regularly recognized among the most innovative of engineering colleges in Texas, with more than 15 engineering programs ranked nationally. Additionally, UT Austin offers engineering degree candidates about twenty research centers from which to work.
Program Options
- Bachelor’s degrees covering aerospace, architectural, biomedical, chemical, civil, computational, electrical, environmental, geosystems, mechanical, and petroleum engineering
- Master’s and Ph.D.’s degrees covering aerospace, biomedical, chemical, civil, electrical, environmental, mechanical, petroleum engineering, operations research, and materials sciences
School Overview
LeTourneau University
LeTourneau University’s School of Engineering & Engineering Technology offers a variety of engineering degree programs across various disciplines. US News recognizes LeTourneau University among the top engineering colleges in Texas and across the country.
Program Options
- Engineering Baccalaureate degrees covering Biomedical, Civil, Computer, electrical, Environmental, Materials, Mechanical and Mechatronics Engineering.
- Engineering Technology degrees covering Aeronautical/Electrical, Aeronautical/Mechanical, Electrical, Materials, and Mechanical Engineering Technology.
School Overview
St. Mary’s University
St. Mary’s University’s Department of Engineering in San Antonio is recognized as one of the most comprehensive engineering colleges in Texas. St. Mary’s offers about twenty undergraduate and graduate degree programs in the various subspecialties in the engineering field.
Program Options
- Bachelor’s degrees covering computer, electrical, computer information, industrial, software, engineering and computer science applications, engineering management, engineering science
- Master’s degrees covering computer, software, electrical, industrial engineering, and engineering management
School Overview
Abilene Christian University
The College of Arts and Sciences/Department of Engineering & Physics at Abilene Christian University is one of the ABET-accredited engineering colleges in Texas and an engineering college of distinction, offering five engineering degree programs at the bachelor’s level. Each of ACU’s undergraduate degrees in engineering requires the completion of 128 semester units to graduate.
Program Options
- Bachelor of Science in Engineering degree (BSE) with concentrations in civil, electrical, industrial, and mechanical engineering
School Overview
Baylor University
Baylor University’s School of Engineering & Computer Science, located in Waco, offers twelve undergraduate and graduate degrees in the engineering genre from one of the best engineering colleges in Texas. Baylor University now offers a Master of Science degree IMS) in computer science that can be completed entirely online.
Program Options
- Baccalaureate, Master’s & Doctoral Degrees covering Computer Science, Electrical/Computer Engineering, Informatics, Engineering & Mechanical Engineering
School Overview
Rice University
Located in Houston, Texas, the Brown School of Engineering at Rice University is ranked among the most progressive and innovative engineering colleges in Texas. More than one-third of Rice’s student enrollment represents engineering students.
Program Options
- Bachelor’s degrees (BS or BA) covering in Bioengineering, Chemical Engineering, Civil, Environmental, Computational and Applied Mathematics, Computer Science, Electrical, Mechanical Engineering, and Materials Science and Nano-Engineering, Statistics.
- Master’s degrees covering similar topics as baccalaureate level, as well as Industrial Engineering and Computational Science and Engineering
- Ph.D. degrees covering similar topics as baccalaureate level plus synthetic/physical biology, and applied physics
- Coordinated dual degrees
School Overview
Texas Christian University
Texas Christian University’s Science & Engineering College, situated in Fort Worth, is ranked among the top engineering colleges in Texas. Students enrolled in TCU’s engineering degree program have the option of challenging themselves with the school’s honor program, if eligible.
Program Options
- Bachelor of Science in Engineering
School Overview
Our Ranking Methodology
The colleges and universities listed above represent a comprehensive cross-section of some of the available engineering colleges in Texas.
The schools are ranked, with the most cost-effective of the higher learning institutions listed first. It is noted that the undergraduate tuition fees are for 12 semester credits unless otherwise noted, while the graduate fees (where applicable) are shown for eight semester credits unless otherwise noted. Additionally, tuition fees represent the school academic year of 2020 to 2021, if available. When not available, the tuition fees shown represent the latest disclosed tuition costs by the school.
Each of the engineering colleges in Texas noted above includes the available engineering programs the school offers and its relevant regional or specialized accreditation. Student enrollment data has been included to help potential degree candidates understand the size of the school.
All remaining data and information used in the engineering colleges in Texas analysis were gathered from each college/university’s website or from the National Center for Education Statistics’ (NCES) website.
