Best Online Engineering Programs in Brownsville, TX (2026)
Brownsville, Texas has a population of about 188,023. The city’s median household income is $48,675 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 22.3% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering engineering programs near Brownsville. In the Brownsville-Harlingen, TX metro area, the top-earning engineering-related role is Architectural and Engineering Manager at a median $158,820 annually (BLS OEWS, May 2024).
Closest Engineering Schools to Brownsville
The 5 accredited institutions below are the closest among the 5 schools in our directory that offer engineering programs near Brownsville. Distances are calculated from Brownsville city center.
| School | City | Distance | Tuition | Online |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| South Texas Vocational Technical Institute-Brownsville | Brownsville, TX | 4.7 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Southern Careers Institute-Harlingen | Harlingen, TX | 19.7 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | Edinburg, TX | 49.3 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| Miller-Motte College-STVT-McAllen | McAllen, TX | 50.3 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
| South Texas College | McAllen, TX | 51.7 mi | Contact school for pricing | – |
Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Texas schools on the Texas engineering page.
Engineering Wages Near Brownsville
Brownsville is part of the Brownsville-Harlingen, TX metro area (BLS area code 15180). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Texas statewide.
| Occupation | Median Wage | Source | COL-Adjusted (US=100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Civil Engineer | $71,810 | Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | $83,500 |
| Electrical Engineer | $103,420 | Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | $120,256 |
| Mechanical Engineer | $107,740 | Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | $125,279 |
| Chemical Engineer | $135,160 | TX statewide | $157,163 |
| Aerospace Engineer | $126,470 | TX statewide | $147,058 |
| Biomedical Engineer | $97,160 | TX statewide | $112,977 |
| Environmental Engineer | $108,560 | TX statewide | $126,233 |
| Architectural and Engineering Manager | $158,820 | Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | $184,674 |
Source: BLS, May 2024 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.
Brownsville at a Glance
| Metric | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 188,023 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003) |
| Median household income | $48,675 | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013) |
| Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ | 22.3% | Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003) |
| Regional Price Parity (US=100) | 86.0 (below U.S. average) | BEA RPP 2024 |
| Engineering-related employment in Cameron County | 382 workers, 63 establishments | BLS QCEW 2024 annual |
Other Brownsville-Area Cities With Engineering Programs
- San Benito, TX – 14.8 mi away (24,476 pop)
- Harlingen, TX – 20.1 mi away (137,119 pop)
- Weslaco, TX – 34.9 mi away (40,033 pop)
- San Juan, TX – 45.2 mi away (36,663 pop)
- Pharr, TX – 47.0 mi away (77,320 pop)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many accredited engineering schools are near Brownsville, TX?
Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering engineering programs near Brownsville. The closest is South Texas Vocational Technical Institute-Brownsville in Brownsville, TX (4.7 miles), and the farthest in our top picks is South Texas College (51.7 miles). 0 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.
What are the highest-paying engineering roles near Brownsville?
Based on BLS OEWS May 2024 wage data, the top-paying engineering-related roles near Brownsville are: Architectural and Engineering Manager ($158,820), Chemical Engineer ($135,160), Aerospace Engineer ($126,470). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Texas statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.
Should I look at programs in San Benito instead of Brownsville?
San Benito, TX is 14.8 miles from Brownsville and has its own set of local engineering programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.
Is Brownsville an affordable place to study engineering?
Brownsville’s median household income of $48,675 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Brownsville while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Texas public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.
How do I verify a program is accredited?
Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.
Related Resources
Data verified: May 5, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2024; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.