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College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
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2026 Best Value Petroleum Engineering Master’s Degree Schools

7 Colleges in the United States
$22,791 Avg Student Debt
$66,841 Avg Median Earnings (10yr)
2026 Best Value Petroleum Engineering Master's Degree Badge [Petroleum Engineering](/majors/engineering/petroleum-engineering/) programs reward a close look at where your money goes furthest. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong petroleum engineering education at a price that pays off.

For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 32 schools to find the best return on investment for petroleum engineering students.

What’s on this page:

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2026 Best Value Petroleum Engineering Schools in the United States

Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in petroleum engineering, balancing cost against outcomes.

Best Value Petroleum Engineering Schools

1

University Of Oklahoma Norman Campus earned the #1 spot for value among petroleum engineering schools in the United States. Located in the suburb of Norman, University Of Oklahoma Norman Campus is a very large public university. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,797, with out-of-state students paying around $27,377. Petroleum Engineering graduates carry a median of $24,625 in student loans. Early-career petroleum engineering graduates make about $61,223. Set against $24,625 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 77%.

2

A rank of #2 makes The University Of Texas At Austin one of the best values for petroleum engineering. The University Of Texas At Austin is a very large public school located in the city of Austin. In-state tuition and fees average $11,688, compared with $44,908 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $17,239 to complete the petroleum engineering program here. Soon after graduation, petroleum engineering degree recipients from The University Of Texas At Austin generally make around $86,761. That is a strong return on a $17,239 median debt. The acceptance rate is 27%.

3

A rank of #3 makes Texas A And M University College Station one of the best values for petroleum engineering. Texas A And M University College Station is a very large public school located in the city of College Station. Students from in state pay about $12,995 in tuition and fees, compared with $40,124 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for petroleum engineering graduates is $19,000. Petroleum Engineering graduates of Texas A And M University College Station earn a median of $171,571 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Texas A And M University College Station admits about 57% of applicants.

4

Texas Tech University came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value petroleum engineering schools. Texas Tech University is a very large public school located in the city of Lubbock. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $11,852, with out-of-state students paying around $24,157. Petroleum Engineering graduates carry a median of $26,090 in student loans. Petroleum Engineering graduates of Texas Tech University earn a median of $80,460 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. The acceptance rate is 73%.

5

University Of Tulsa is a great value for students pursuing a degree in petroleum engineering, landing the #5 spot this year. University Of Tulsa is a mid-sized private not-for-profit school located in the city of Tulsa. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $49,546. Students borrow a median of $27,000 to complete the petroleum engineering program here. Early-career petroleum engineering graduates make about $66,166. Set against $27,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. The acceptance rate is 62%.

Other Petroleum Engineering Degree Levels

Explore the best-value petroleum engineering schools at other degree levels:

All Degree Levels in Petroleum Engineering
Associate's Degrees in Petroleum Engineering
Bachelor's Degrees in Petroleum Engineering
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View All Petroleum Engineering Rankings >

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Notes and References

This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).

Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 32 schools evaluated.

*Averages shown above reflect the top 7 ranked schools only.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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