UT vs UTD Conflict - Extra 50k worth it for UT brand value?

State Forums
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Hey everyone,

I know the UT vs UTD dilemma has been covered in past threads, but I’ve read through all of them and none seem to fit my specific situation, so I’d greatly appreciate some new input!

I’m an in-state student and have applied for Electrical and Computer Engineering at UT Austin and Computer Science at UT Dallas, but I can’t decide where to go, supposing I get into UT and have a choice between the two (I just want to decide beforehand so I can get housing choices). The factors of each college are below:

UT Austin:
Close to home (30 mins away)
Estimated Cost for 4 Years is $87,000 to $91,000 (will room for first two years then commute)
Median Salaries for 5 and 10 Years: $85,108 and $108,559 (from SeekUT data)
Undeniably great campus life, although it could be said that UT is too crowded

UT Dallas:
4 hours away from home but I have close family in Dallas so still not too bad
Estimated Cost for 4 years is $45,000 to $50,000 - Received AES Distinction
Median Salaries for 5 and 10 Years: $79,970 and $96,948 (from SeekUT data)
Richardson is less lively but I’m sure there’s things to do too

Some people say the scholarship money that saves about $50,000 isn’t something to pass up, while others say that UT’s connections and opportunities/brand value are worth that money. I also know for sure that I want to get a Master’s degree, either in Business Administration or Engineering, so I’m not sure if saving on Undergrad is best, or if it’s okay to spend the money on UT since I can complete my master’s after a gap year with a job. I was also told to compare quality of professors, TAs, and/or classes at each college to get a feel for how my 4 years at each place would be, so any input on that would be great too.

I think my heart kind of wants to go to UT but I want to make sure to take all factors into consideration, and in conclusion have the following questions:

Is the brand value/opportunities of UT worth the extra money?
Is it that much harder to get tutoring/help/internships at UT because it’s so big?
What are some drawbacks to taking on so much student debt, given that computer engineering/cs is a pretty solid career?
I’ve seen data that getting a Master’s can cost as much as 110-120k - does this make UTD the better choice?
What would you choose if you were in this situation?

I sincerely apologize for the long post, but wanted to list all information that I’ve researched to paint a better picture. Any word of advice on any of the questions would be much appreciated - thank you!!

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We will be looking at the same situation in the near future. My ds will be an auto admit to UT Austin but will also have a bunch of AP/DE credits. We have decided it is better financially to go to UTD and use their fast track program to get a BS and Masters for what it would cost for just a BS at UT Austin.

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@3scoutsmom Oh interesting, what will your daughter be majoring in?

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DS = Dear Son
Comp Sci Major/Chinese Minor

We are also local to Austin and he could commute to UT Austin if he wanted but he thinks financially UTD is the best bet, if he wants to continue with his education after a masters be can apply to UT Austin for a second masters or PHD.

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@3scoutsmom Sorry, I misread as dd - and I understand, thanks for the reply!

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I am betting that the statistic difference in median salaries is insignificant in actuality, and that your employability will be equal regardless of which one you attend, and so you should disregard median salaries as a factor.

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Many engineers in Texas go to work either in college or right afterwards. Masters tends not to be a big thing in Texas engineering - being a PE is a much bigger deal. Companies will pay for you to get your PE and pay for your licensure and renewals. Companies will also pay for you to get your engineering masters’ degree.

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Not sure how boostin.me computes their firgures but my DH works for a large international high tech company with an office in Austin and I can tell that the new hires in his group from UTD are paid very well and equal to UT recent grads. Really, it’s what you do not just where you go.

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My dh and I were both AES scholars.

He has a BSEE and an MBA from UTD, and has a great career.

The campus is only a 30 min drive from downtown Dallas so there are plenty of cultural opportunities. The school’s smaller size provided us with ample opportunities to take on leadership roles on campus and get to know professors/staff/high level admin. We graduated over 20 years ago, but we live in the Dallas area and still visit the school from time to time. The campus is so much nicer than it was when we were there, and it seems there are even more opportunities now for students to thrive.

Anyway, were money no object, I think it would make sense for you to go to UT. But since loans are involved, I believe UTD is the better choice. My dh and I both believe that graduating debt free gave us an advantage financially. In fact, we have friends who are still paying back their student loans and having to factor those payments into their financial decisions. So for that reason, if you were my child, I’d advise you to go to UTD. You can always do grad school at UT.

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@jazzymomof7 I didn’t look at the user name before I posted. I’m sure this is spam, the same poster pulled up several other old threads to promote their site. Hopefuly mods will delete.

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Oh, okay. Thanks!