Chemical Engineering graduates earn $98,158 four years out. The middle 50% of earners fall between $80,300 and $117,974. Where you land depends on specialization, employer, and how far you advance in the field.
This page covers Chemical Engineering as a course of study: what it costs, where it is taught, and what graduates go on to earn. It sits inside the wider field of Engineering and how it pays overall, which is the better comparison if you are still choosing between subjects.
Chemical Engineering is a focused area of study within Engineering. Pick this and you can expect to earn around $98,158 four years out, a strong return for a focused credential. You will not have trouble finding it: 211 colleges offer this program, from community colleges to research universities. About 11,830 students complete it each year, most walking away with a bachelor's. Coursework leans technical and quantitative, with lab or project work common.
Median Earnings · 1yr
$73,072
Median Earnings · 4yr
$98,158
Colleges Offering
211
Graduates / Year
11,830
Avg Net Price / yr
$18,860
How Much Do Chemical Engineering Graduates Earn?
Four years after finishing Chemical Engineering, a typical graduate earns $98,158, well above average for college graduates. Half of earners land somewhere between $80,300 and $117,974, so where you end up depends on the job and the employer. Source: College Scorecard.
Earnings grow steadily as you advance past entry-level roles. The four-year figure is a better long-term target.
$98,158
4-Year National Median
Well above average for college graduates.
$96,798
4-Year Institutional Median
Median of per-school medians. Each reporting college counts equally, regardless of size.
Earnings Range
Not every Chemical Engineering graduate ends up in the same place. Earnings spread out widely, so know what pushes people to one end or the other. Sector is the biggest factor. Tech companies and finance firms tend to pay significantly more than government, education, or nonprofit employers in this field.
$80,30025th pct.
$98,158Median
$117,97475th pct.
Why This Program Pays Off Fast
Strong ROI. At median 4-year earnings of $98,158 against an estimated $75,440 four-year net cost, most graduates break even against baseline wages in under two years.
Based on outcomes from 188 schools.
Colleges with fewer than 30 graduates are excluded from national averages.
Who Studies This? Credential Breakdown
Of the 11,830 students who complete Chemical Engineering programs each year, the majority (76%) earn a bachelor's degree.
The breakdown below shows the full credential distribution.
76%
Bachelor's76%
Master's14%
Doctorate9%
What Can You Do With a Chemical Engineering Degree?
This degree does not lock you into one job. Chemical Engineering graduates show up in 4 different occupations, and Architectural & Engineering Manager pays the most at $171,270/yr median. Expand any card below to see daily responsibilities, in-demand skills, and 10-year growth projections.
Critical ThinkingScienceComplex Problem SolvingReading ComprehensionJudgment and Decision Making
Day-to-day responsibilities
Design chemical plant equipment and devise processes for manufacturing chemicals and products, such as gasoline, synthetic rubber, plastics, detergents, cement, paper, and pulp, by applying principles and technology of chemistry, physics, and engineering.
Develop safety procedures to be employed by workers operating equipment or working in close proximity to ongoing chemical reactions.
Troubleshoot problems with chemical manufacturing processes.
Monitor and analyze data from processes and experiments.
Reading ComprehensionActive ListeningWritingSpeakingJudgment and Decision Making
Day-to-day responsibilities
Apply knowledge of engineering, biology, chemistry, computer science, and biomechanical principles to the design, development, and evaluation of biological, agricultural, and health systems and products, such as artificial organs, prostheses, instrumentation, medical information systems, and health management and care delivery systems.
Evaluate the safety, efficiency, and effectiveness of biomedical equipment.
Prepare technical reports, data summary documents, or research articles for scientific publication, regulatory submissions, or patent applications.
Design or develop medical diagnostic or clinical instrumentation, equipment, or procedures, using the principles of engineering and biobehavioral sciences.
Teach courses pertaining to the application of physical laws and principles of engineering for the development of machines, materials, instruments, processes, and services. Includes teachers of subjects such as chemical, civil, electrical, industrial, mechanical, mineral, and petroleum engineering. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.
Conduct research in a particular field of knowledge and publish findings in professional journals, books, or electronic media.
Prepare course materials, such as syllabi, homework assignments, and handouts.
Evaluate and grade students' class work, laboratory work, assignments, and papers.
Top Colleges for Chemical Engineering
Not sure where to study Chemical Engineering? These 20 colleges graduate the most students in it each year. Scroll right to compare acceptance rate, net price, and median earnings side by side.
Ranked by Chemical Engineering graduate volume. Scroll right to compare key stats.
Read our methodology →
Related Engineering Programs
Chemical Engineering is not the only path through Engineering: 37 other specializations sit alongside it. The comparison below ranks them by 4-year median earnings so you can see where this one lands.
Decide with data, not guesswork. These tools turn the numbers on this page
into a personal plan. Estimate the real cost of a Chemical Engineering program, compare colleges side-by-side, weigh the long-term payoff, and find
schools that match your profile.
Strong earnings and positive career growth make Chemical Engineering a solid option. The 4 strengths and 1 trade-offs below are data-sourced from College Scorecard, BLS, and IPEDS.
PROS
Strong median salaryGraduates earn $98,158 nationally four years out, placing this field above most degree programs in the country.
Strong salary growthMedian earnings climb from $73,072 at graduation to $98,158 four years later, a clear sign of career momentum in this field.
Positive job outlookRelated careers project up to +7.8% job growth over the next 10 years, a solid signal for long-term demand.
Strong hiring volumeRelated occupations generate more than 21,100 job openings per year combined, creating consistent demand for graduates.
CONS
Advanced degree often expectedTop roles in this field typically expect a master's degree or higher. A bachelor's may be a starting point rather than a terminal credential for the most competitive positions.
Chemical Engineering Degree: Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Chemical Engineering graduates earn?
$98,158 four years after finishing the program. Half of graduates land between $80,300 and $117,974, so employer, role, and location move that number more than the degree itself. Source: College Scorecard.
What is the starting salary for a Chemical Engineering degree?
$73,072 in the first year out. That grows to $98,158 by year four, so do not judge this field on the entry-level number alone. Most of the gain shows up once you clear the first few years and move past entry-level roles. Source: College Scorecard.
What jobs can you get with a Chemical Engineering degree?
Architectural & Engineering Manager is one path, and it pays a median of $171,270 a year. It is not the only one: the Career Paths section below lists every occupation graduates actually go into, with wages and 10-year growth for each.
How long does a Chemical Engineering program take?
Four years of full-time study for a Chemical Engineering bachelor's degree, the standard timeline for this field. If you want a faster route into the workforce, community colleges offer a two-year associate option instead.
How many colleges offer Chemical Engineering?
211 colleges and universities, so you are not short on options. That range runs from community colleges granting certificates and associate degrees to research universities with full doctoral tracks. Source: IPEDS.
Is a Chemical Engineering degree worth it?
$98,158 median earnings four years out against $18,860 a year in average net price. That is a fast payback, and it holds up especially well at lower-cost schools. Use the Top Colleges section below to compare specific schools before deciding. Source: College Scorecard.
What is the difference between Chemical Engineering and Engineering?
Chemical Engineering is the narrower of the two: Engineering covers the full discipline, while this program limits the curriculum to Chemical Engineering-specific courses, skills, and career tracks. Pick the specialization once you already know this is the direction you want; it gets you a more targeted credential, not a broader one.
What skills do employers look for in Chemical Engineering graduates?
Coursework alone will not get you hired. Employers hiring Chemical Engineering graduates consistently look for analytical thinking, technical proficiency, and data interpretation. Employers typically prioritize candidates who can demonstrate hands-on project or internship experience alongside their coursework. Build those into your coursework and internships now, and the job search later gets easier.
Is graduate school worth it for Chemical Engineering graduates?
Usually worth considering. A master's in a STEM field can accelerate advancement into research, leadership, or senior engineering roles, and often adds $15,000 to $40,000 in long-term earning potential depending on specialization. Weigh that against your own career goals, the program's cost, and whether your target role actually rewards the advanced credential.
What is the job outlook for Chemical Engineering graduates?
Outlook is moderate overall: related occupations average +6.4% projected job growth over the next 10 years. Engineering Teachers are among the strongest-growth roles at +7.8%. That average hides real differences by role and location, so check the Career Paths section below for the projection on each specific occupation before you count on any single number.
Related Engineering Programs
Other programs in Engineering. Compare earnings, credentials, and career paths before committing to a specialization.
Free, data-backed guides to help you decide, built on the same federal data as this profile.
H
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Original data analyses built on the same federal data as this profile. Rankings, outliers, and patterns, no opinions.
All 38 Majors, Ranked by What Graduates Earn
The highest-earning college major out-pays the lowest by a factor of two and a half. The full ranking of all 38 fields by median graduate earnings, with job growth alongside.
Major earnings
Highest paying majors
Job growth
STEM
Field of study
Does Engineering Tech Out-Earn Engineering? The Data Says No
A popular claim holds that the applied engineering-tech degree pays more than the theoretical one. Across every program, engineering wins by about $10,000.
Engineering tech
Engineering
Program earnings
Applied degree
Technician careers
STEM Is Not One Thing: The Pay Gap Within STEM
Across 88 STEM programs the top one out-earns the bottom by $65,000 a year. Operations research pays $122,531; environmental design pays $57,461.
STEM earnings
Engineering pay
Computer science
Program earnings
Major choice
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