Master's in Artificial Intelligence Programs in Texas

We found over 25 graduate degree programs in artificial intelligence in Texas, making it a hotspot for AI education. You’ll recognize reputable schools like the University of Texas Austin and Texas A&M, as well as online learning leaders like Southern Methodist University. The majority of AI and machine learning offerings are Master’s programs, but you’ll find AI grad certificates and Ph.D. programs as well. Use the list below to get started, and let us know if you find other AI degrees in Texas.

Artificial Intelligence Education in Texas

Texas and its many prestigious universities have quickly created a global artificial intelligence hub. Given the state’s size and schools like Texas A&M and the University of Texas, there are plenty of in-person and online artificial intelligence degrees for students in the Lone Star State.

Texas A&M offers an M.S. in Computer Science – Artificial Intelligence and Deep Learning at its Kingsville campus. While it’s a newer degree than other AI programs, Texas A&M has made a real impact on the field. Back in 2021, researchers from various disciplines created the Code^Shift Lab to study bias and ways to prevent it.

The University of Texas, another of Texas’s prestigious research universities, offers three different AI master’s programs throughout the UT System. This includes an M.S. in Computer Science – AI Track in Arlington, an M.A. in Computational Linguistics in Austin, and an M.S. in Computer Science – Intelligent Systems Track in Dallas.

The University of Texas at Austin has made incredible strides in artificial intelligence research. According to the annual Higher Education Research and Development (HERD) Survey, the university ranked No. 1 among U.S. universities in research financed by the National Science Foundation (NSF) in the fiscal year 2020. One of the reasons for this is because the NSF designated UT Austin as a National Artificial Intelligence Institute, which meant the university would lead the new AI Institute for Foundations of Machine Learning (IFML).

Rice University offers one in-person AI master’s degree with the Master of Computational Science and Engineering (MCSE) – Machine Learning. The university, in some cases, allows undergraduate students to pursue the degree as a fifth-year option if they are already completing studies in science and engineering.

Finally, the University of North Texas launched two programs for students interested in artificial intelligence: an M.S. in Artificial Intelligence and an M.S. in Computational Linguistics.

Online Master’s in Artificial Intelligence Programs in Texas

Students interested in earning an artificial intelligence master’s degree online will find more opportunities in Texas than in nearby states.

One of the top options is Texas A&M’s Online M.S. in Computer Science – Artificial Intelligence Track at the Commerce branch. Students can complete the degree entirely online or through a blended 50-85% hybrid format.

Prefer to be a Texas Longhorn? UT Austin offers an Online M.S. in Computer Science – Artificial Intelligence. Students choose between three program options: A traditional 36-hour non-thesis degree plan, a 30-hour non-thesis degree plan, or a 30-hour thesis degree plan.

Rice University offers two separate programs with its Online M.S. in Computer Science – Artificial Intelligence and Robotics and Online M.S. in Data Science – Machine Learning. Or, consider Southern Methodist University, where students can pursue machine learning or artificial tracks within the Online M.S. in Data Science and the Online M.S. in Computer Science.

The Artificial Intelligence Outlook in Texas

While the artificial intelligence scene is rapidly growing in Texas, there is a significant gap between Dallas and other leading U.S. metro areas. According to a September 2021 report by the Brookings Institution, Dallas-Fort Worth only has four federal R&D contracts to private firms, compared to 12 in Los Angeles, eight in New York, 22 in Austin, 37 in San Jose, and 43 in Boston. It also ranks the lowest among the same metros regarding AI workers. With that said, Dallas-Fort Worth still has many AI job postings, and it ranks next to cities like Detroit, Atlanta, and Chicago as a top market for tech degrees.

One of the state’s other major cities, Austin, has been making strides towards becoming a hub for AI-related technologies. Tesla, the leader in autonomous vehicles and AI technology, has recently opened up its new vehicle factory in the city. A recent announcement stated that the factory will invest more than $10 billion over time. And Tesla is not the only major company to move its headquarters to Austin. In December 2020, Oracle moved from Redwood City, CA, to Austin, and companies like Facebook and Google are also expanding into the city. Overall, the city has over 3,000 tech companies, including SparkCognition, with $163.6 million in total funding.

While Texas still has to close the gap between some of its metros when it comes to AI, the state is making incredible progress as a whole. With cities like Austin becoming new tech hubs of the world through significant investments and company expansions, the state is an excellent choice with endless opportunities for anyone pursuing a master’s in AI program.