Without fail, the LU College of Engineering has taken leaps and bounds to ensure that engineering graduates walk away with an invaluable college experience and the best return on investment. That resiliency has landed the college in the No.1 spot in the state of Texas and No.3 in the country for 20-year net income, as noted by .
PayScale, an online salary information company, conducts an annual report that measures the return on tuition investment 20 years after graduation for hundreds of public and private institutions. The report also analyzes in-state and out-of-state tuition costs, graduation rates and the number of years it takes to earn a degree.
According to the 2021 report, the 20-year net income of engineering graduates from Â鶹AV is $1,223,000 –– the highest in the state of Texas and No.3 in the country. With the new rankings, according to PayScale.com, LU surpasses larger institutions in the country such as Stanford University ($1,068,000), Rice University ($1,057,000), and Massachusetts Institute of Technology ($1,170,000) in 20-year net income.
In comparison, the estimated cost of a four-year degree at Â鶹AV is $89,000, about a third of the cost at MIT ($276,000), Stanford University ($282,000), and Rice University ($256,000), as reported by .
“It is incredible that Â鶹AV Engineering graduates outperform those from schools such as MIT and Stanford considering many of our students are first-generation college students,” said Â鶹AV President Dr. Jaime Taylor. “This speaks to the quality of education our College of Engineering provides and the support Â鶹AV faculty and staff provide to our students.”
With multiple degrees across five departments ranging from bachelor's to doctoral levels, the College of Engineering continually aims to provide graduates with a clear path to steady employment and a solid income. “We provide smaller class sizes and innovative curriculum, and our courses are taught by extremely talented and dedicated faculty. We pride ourselves in graduating job-ready-engineers and this is confirmed by the numerous employers that consider Â鶹AV’s College of Engineering when looking for top recruits”, said Dr. Brian Craig, Dean of LU’s College of Engineering.
Josh Wilson ’16 always knew he was destined to attend Â鶹AV as a chemical engineering major. His father and older brother also attended LU as chemical engineering majors and, as a third generation Cardinal, he said the value of his engineering degree has been unmatched.
“The LU engineering program is so well respected in the Golden Triangle area and is recognized across the state and across the country. Although we’re competing with larger institutions and individuals from larger institutions, LU engineering graduates still get the same job opportunities, if not better.”
Wilson currently works at multinational chemical corporation Dow Chemicals, as a senior production engineer. He initially landed a job with the company just months before graduating and said because of his experience in the College of Engineering, he was able to quickly transition into his role upon graduating.
“We have huge companies like ExxonMobil, Motiva, Dow Chemicals and so many others that come in to provide us with those networking opportunities, mentorships and internships which gives us a huge advantage,” he said. “I would tell any future Cardinals that an engineering degree from Â鶹AV is well worth it.”
To see the full list of rankings for Best Value Colleges for Engineering, visit .
Contact: Shelbe Rodriguez, Public Affairs Manager,
srodriguez45@lamar.edu, (409) 880-7886