Overview
University Name – The University of Texas at Austin
Campus Setting – Large city
Petroleum Engineering Department Name – Department of Petroleum & Geosystems Engineering
Department Website – http://www.pge.utexas.edu/
Contents
The University of Texas at Austin is a public university and research-intensive institution. The University of Texas System, which is made up of 9 universities and 6 health institutions, has UT Austin as its flagship school.
Founded in 1883, it started out with just 1 building, 8 professors, and 221 enrollees. Today, the university boasts the 7th largest enrollment in a single campus, more than 170 degree offerings, 18 top colleges, 7 museums, 17 libraries, and a 307 foot tower which is the most distinctive building in Austin.
In 2016, the student to faculty ratio was 18:1 in a population of more than 50,000 undergraduate and graduate students and more than 24,000 teachers, faculty, and staff. The University also has 112 Fulbright scholars, 31 Rhodes scholars, and 23 Marshall scholars and counting.
In rankings, The University of Austin placed #13 in Best Value Public Colleges by Kiplinger, #16 in Top Public Schools and National Universities by the U.S. News & World Report, and #17 in Forbes’ Best Value Schools, all in 2016.
It is no wonder that well-known global technology companies such as Apple and Samsung have based their major operations near the University of Texas at Austin. Austin is, as Forbes magazine stated, one of the best cities for tech startups. In such close proximity to UT Austin, these tech companies are able to draw on the pool of talent provided by the university. The University of Texas at Austin’s graduate engineering programs is one of the main attractions as they are currently ranked #11 in the US by the U.S. News & World Report.
Proud alumni or “longhorns” include business magnates Michael Dell and Rex Tillerson, Oscar winner Matthew McConaughey, journalists Walter Cronkite and Bill Moyers, and politicians Sam Rayburn and James Baker.
In the meantime, if you are looking for the best petroleum engineering school, the University of Texas at Austin should be your first stop as it is ranked #1 by the U.S. News & World Report as the Best Engineering School in Petroleum Engineering in both undergraduate and graduate programs. UT Austin credits their world-class faculty, strong curriculum, and unrivaled research center and program for their excellent track record in producing outstanding petroleum engineering graduates.
The Center for Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering of UT Austin is found in the Department of Petroleum & Geosystems Engineering. A world-class and top research center, it conducts more than $16M researches annually thru 11 areas of study and 85 sponsors and partners that include the government and oil & gas companies. At this number, the Department of Petroleum & Geosystems Engineering surpasses the research programs allocations of other petroleum schools in the US.
These opportunities for research are open to both undergraduate and graduate petroleum engineering students. Undergraduate students go through an internship program during the summer breaks while graduates avail of research opportunities in advanced laboratories.
True to their mission in producing innovative research and results, solutions coming out of UT Austin’s research center include better on-shore drilling, off-shore drilling, oil recovery, fracking methods, and storage of geologic carbon.
Key Stats
| Key Stats | 2014-2015 |
|---|---|
| Ninja Ranking | 2 |
| Student Population | 51,313 |
| Student/faculty ratio | 17:1 |
| Admission rate | 39% |
| Retention rate | 94% |
| Graduation rate | 80% |
| Forbes Best Value | #17 |
University of Texas Petroleum Engineering Degrees Awarded
| Degrees Awarded | 2012-13 | 2014-15 |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 115 | 138 |
| Master's | 35 | 51 |
| Doctoral | 21 | 22 |
Tuition Costs and Living Expenses for the 2016-2017 Academic Year
The good news is that even in these hard times, tuition and fees for UT Austin have decreased by a slight percentage. This explains the school’s positive ranking in lists of Best Value schools.
| Estimated Expenses | 12-13 | 13-14 | 14-15 | 15-16 | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| - In-state | $9,790 | $9,798 | $9,830 | $9,806 | -0.2 |
| - Out-of-state | $33,128 | $33,842 | $34,836 | $34,676 | 10.5 |
| Books and Supplies | $904 | $750 | $750 | $750 | 0 |
| On Campus | |||||
| - Room and Board | $10,946 | $11,362 | $11,456 | $11,456 | 0 |
| - Other | $3,752 | $4,246 | $4,310 | $4,310 | 0 |
| Off Campus | |||||
| - Room and Board | $10,946 | $11,362 | $11,456 | $11,456 | 0 |
| - Other | $3,752 | $4,246 | $4,310 | $4,310 | 0 |
| Off Campus with Family | |||||
| - Other | $3,752 | $4,246 | $4,310 | $4,310 | 0 |
Success After Graduation
Many graduates and milennials are afraid that a degree does not guarantee satisfactory employment upon graduation. This does not seem to be the case for 10% of UT Austin’s graduates who go straight to senior level management positions.
In addition, statistics show that almost 90% of students get employed right after finishing their courses with an average starting salary of $90,000.
Video
Learn the history of the petroleum industry in the US, see some genuine footage from bygone years, see wildcatters in action, and discover amazing trivia like Texas supplied all the oil needed by the Allied Forces in the war against Hitler in this video by the University of Texas.
