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The Engineering Career Assistance Center (ECAC) provides data on average salaries and breakdowns by major for full-time positions offered upon graduation, as well as for internships and co-op programs that students participate in throughout the school year. View a summary of ECAC's impact on our engineering students.

Average Starting Salaries for B.S. Graduates

OVERALL
$88,141

Aerospace Engineering
$81,227

Architectural Engineering
$73,434

Biomedical Engineering
$85,025

Chemical Engineering
$87,514

Civil Engineering
$73,969

Computational Engineering
$85,025

Electrical and Computer Engineering
$101,938

Environmental Engineering
$73,969

Mechanical Engineering
$86,665

Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering
$104,539

Average Starting Monthly Co-op Salaries for B.S. Students

OVERALL
$4,630

Aerospace/Computational Engineering
$4,317

Biomedical Engineering*

Chemical Engineering
$4,713

Civil/Architectural/Environmental Engineering*

Electrical and Computer Engineering
$5,752

Mechanical Engineering
$4,615

Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering*

Average Starting Monthly Internship Salaries

OVERALL
B.S. $4,428
M.S. $5,182
Ph.D. $6,922

Aerospace Engineering
B.S. $4,170

Biomedical Engineering
B.S. $3,925

Chemical Engineering
B.S. $4,457

Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering
B.S. $3,758

Computational Engineering
B.S. $3,844

Electrical and Computer Engineering
B.S. $4,744
M.S. $5,940

Mechanical Engineering
B.S. $4,480
M.S. $5,249

Petroleum and Geosystems Engineering
B.S. $4,871
Ph.D. $7,239

* = Asterisk denotes insufficient data set
Updated 05/22/25

Two student participate in an externship Group of students with Exxon representative doing hook 'em horns

An externship connects students and employers over winter break to provide exposure to a wide variety of career fields and industries within engineering. This one-day job-shadowing opportunity occurs in January before the start of the spring semester. During an externship, employers demonstrate current projects and discuss possible career paths within their organization. Students utilize an externship to explore what a potential career can look like within their major. Past externships have included panels with company leadership, question-and-answer sessions and tours of workspaces. Virtual externships are available for students who cannot attend an in-person event.

Externship was an excellent way to get to know company culture and experience what a day in engineering looks like.

- Past Participant

2024-25 Externship Program Timeline

Employer Registration
Monday, September 16 - Wednesday, October 23, 2024
Employers notified of student matches in early December.

Student Registration
Friday, November 1 - Friday, November 22, 2024
Students will be notified of Externship Matches in late November.

2025 Externship Visits
Employer selects one day during the week of:
Monday, January 6 - Friday, January 10, 2025

Registration Process

Employers must have an account in the ECAC System to participate in the externship program.

Employers

Log in to your ECAC account and select "externship" from the jobs tab
Select which date(s) you would like to host students
If another date is preferred, contact the This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Build your agenda for either a virtual or an in-person visit by adding details to the event description.

Need help getting started? Contact Kassi Perez, Externship Coordinator at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or 512-471-1915.

Employer FAQs

How are students matched with employers?
The matching process takes into account which majors the employers would like to invite. Matching is done through our Simplicity system and students are matched by the order of their applications. Once matching between employers and students is complete, we send a list of students who have selected your company along with their resumes.

Is there a minimum or maximum number of students that must participate?
On average, employers select 10-15 students. Some employers take as few as 5, some take as many as 25. We recommend 8-10, depending on your facilities, for optimal student interaction. Employers are able to set the maximum number of students so that you have control over how many students attend.

What have other companies’ externship visits looked like?
This can vary widely between employers. We recommend 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM, depending on the company’s availability to accommodate student schedules. Some do a full day of activities; others do a half day (ex: 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM). Students most enjoy being able to tour facilities and talk to actual engineers who can provide insight into what kinds of projects they work on and what their day-to-day is like. Short presentations about the company’s work, vision and culture also go over well. A light lunch is usually provided for students depending on the length and time of the visit.

Would the students be able to showcase themselves to recruiters/engineers while they’re visiting with us?
We view externships as an excellent opportunity for students to get valuable on-site experience with employers in their field of study. It is primarily an opportunity for employers to showcase what it would be like to work for that company, but the program is flexible enough to also allow students to demonstrate what they offer as well. While the externship experience is not meant to be a formal recruiting opportunity, the externship day can be structured by the employer to offer plenty of opportunities for more informal interaction between students and recruiters/engineers. Employers have control over how they set the agenda.

Students

Log in to your ECAC account and upload your resume
View the participating employers by searching ‘Externship’ on the job board
Select an Externship and submit your resume
Keep in mind when selecting a date and location that you are responsible for your own Externship transportation
Be sure you will be able to attend at the company’s location during your Winter Break from UT.

Student FAQs

Interested in participating in an externship? Here are a few FAQs to learn more about externships. Please contact the This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for additional questions or concerns.

How long does an externship last?
Each employer has a different itinerary and usually plans an entire day of activities. The average externship lasts about five hours.

Will I be interviewed?
No. The externship visit is not a formal recruiting event. It is an opportunity to learn more about the field of engineering without the stress of an interview.

Will an externship lead to a co-op or internship?
Not necessarily. We encourage you to bring a resume and network with the employer representatives; however, this is not intended to be a job-searching event.

How do I get to the employer site?
You must provide your own transportation to and from the employer site. However, upon registration completion, you may request rideshare assistance by contacting the Externship Coordinator at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

What do I wear to an externship visit?
Unless otherwise noted by the host employer, dress in business casual attire. View interview attire guidelines on ENGR Direct Students.

Am I guaranteed an externship visit?
Yes and no. Although we do our best to enlist employers from each engineering discipline and in multiple cities, not all students will be accommodated with an employer in their major and preferred location.

Students are matched with one employer based on academic discipline in order of resume submission. Students who frequently check their emails and promptly act on them have a better chance of getting an externship with their top choice.

Keep in mind that even if you are not matched with your top choice of employer, you will still benefit from visiting another organization and learning about how engineering is applied in the corporate world.

Are there any consequences if I select an employer to visit and then do not attend on the day of the externship?
Yes. If you do not show up for your externship and fail to contact both the employer and the externship coordinator in advance, you will lose access to your ECAC Job System account. This will block you from using the online system until you come in to meet with the externship coordinator. Not showing up is not fair to the employer, who spends time and money preparing for you, as well as to other students who may have wanted to visit that employer.

Remember, once you select an employer to visit, you are obligated to participate. They will be expecting you and will communicate with the Engineering Career Assistance Center if you do not attend.

How do I apply?
Students must have an ECAC Job System account to participate in the externship program. To apply:

Create an ECAC Job System account
Upload a resume
View employers participating by searching for Externship Listings Jobs > ECAC System Jobs > Advanced Search > Select "Show Me: Externship Listings" > Search
Submit your resume to Externship Listings you would like to attend when student registration begins.
An updated high school resume with current contact information is acceptable for first-year students.

How will I be matched?
Students are matched with an employer site based on their major and slots available in order of resume submission. Students who submitted their resumes to multiple listings can and may be attending multiple Externships on different days. Students will receive an email message within the externship listing once they have been matched. Apply for externship postings in the order of your preference (#1 choice = 1^st application). This ranks your preferences by the time and date of when you apply. Matching will be based on this order.

Remember, once you select an employer to visit, you are obligated to participate. Site location and employer information will be on the listing. They will be expecting you and will communicate with the Engineering Career Assistance Center if you do not attend.

Undergraduate engineering students can gain significant technical experience in industry before graduation through both internships and the Cooperative Engineering Education Program, or Co-op, an experiential learning program. Students who participate in engineering internships and the Co-op Program are able to explore career interests and have a competitive advantage when looking for a full-time position upon graduation.

Co-op

Co-op students complete at least one summer and one long semester of full-time work with the same employer, receive one or two hours of letter-grade credit per work term and earn a competitive salary.

By integrating multiple semesters of engineering work experience with on-campus study, co-op students enhance their classroom knowledge through practical application of theories to real-world problems. Co-op students explore specific interests within their academic discipline and refine their post-graduation goals. At the same time, co-op allows students to earn a competitive salary, which can be used to help finance their education.

Returning to the same employer for subsequent experiences gives students access to more challenging and in-depth projects while building a long-term relationship with the employer. It also allows co-op employers to evaluate potential permanent hires over an extended period of time, provides a continual pipeline of bright engineers and a cost-effective method for completing engineering tasks.

I truly believe that doing a co-op is one of the most important things a student can do to enhance their education and marketability after graduation.

Current students: For Co-op Application specifics, visit ENGR Direct Students.

Employers: For more information, visit our employer page for Co-ops and Internships.

VIEW OUR CURRENT CO-OP EMPLOYERS

Internships

An internship is an opportunity for a student of any classification to gain valuable, paid work experience. Interns work full-time during the summer and commit to work with an employer for one summer only. Students may apply to work with a different employer each summer to expand their horizons even more.

As early as the summer after their freshman year, students can begin an internship with an employer. Sophomores and juniors are especially encouraged to build a good resume by gaining internship experience. In addition to exposure to technical training, interns gain knowledge of an employer work environment, office etiquette and typical day-to-day challenges and projects.

These experiences offer short-term and long-term gains. Students earn a salary, gain professional experience to complement their academic studies and explore career interests within their majors. When they graduate and seek permanent employment, their resumes reflect industry experience, giving them a competitive advantage. Often, students receive permanent job offers from employers for which they have interned.

Benefits of Internships

Enhance engineering education with work experience
Explore career interests within field of study
Earn a competitive salary
Refine job search skills
Network with corporate employees and fellow students
Become familiar with the corporate environment
Learn about employers and organizational culture before graduation
Assess interest in specific engineering fields and majors

How to Get Involved

Register with the Engineering Career Assistance Center (ECAC) and create a resume
Participate in on-campus interviews
Attend career fairs and information sessions
Network with recruiters and fellow students
Participate in on-campus recruiting

Work Experience for Academic Credit

Students gather in the Frank Erwin Center to meet with industry members at the Fall 2018 EXPO event.

The Cockrell School of Engineering, in conjunction with the Engineering Career Assistance Center (ECAC), hosts multiple career fairs each academic year, including the Engineering Expo, Bioscience and Biotechnology Career Fair (BioFair) and Graduate and Industry Networking Event (GAIN). Our career fairs offer students, alumni and employers opportunities to promote themselves, network and connect. More information and additional resources for each career fair are available below.

Engineering Expo

The Engineering Expo is open to current students, alumni and employers hiring across all engineering and non-engineering disciplines. Offered twice a year, Fall Engineering Expo typically takes place in early-mid September, and Spring Engineering Expo typically takes place in late January/early February.

Fall Engineering Expo Dates: September 10-11, 2025.

EXPO FOR STUDENTS

EXPO FOR EMPLOYERS

Bioscience and Biotechnology Career Fair (BioFair)

BioFair is open to biomedical, bioscience, biotechnology and related industry employers seeking to hire students from our Engineering and Natural Sciences colleges. Graduate schools wishing to promote their programs are also encouraged to attend. This event typically occurs in late October and is hosted virtually.

Dates for Fall 2025 to be announced soon.

BIOFAIR FOR STUDENTS

BIOFAIR FOR EMPLOYERS

Graduate and Industry Networking Event (GAIN)

GAIN is open to all employers seeking to recruit graduate-level students and foster industry-academia collaboration. It also includes opportunities for graduate students to share their outstanding research work. GAIN typically takes place in late January/early February.

Dates for Spring 2026 to be announced soon.

GAIN FOR STUDENTS

GAIN FOR EMPLOYERS

Have questions or need more information?

Contact the Engineering Career Assistance Center (ECAC) at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

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