Colorado · Chemical Engineering

Best colleges for Chemical Engineering in Colorado

Ranked by graduate earnings

University of Colorado Boulder, Colorado School of Mines and Colorado State University - Fort Collins are the top bachelor's Chemical Engineering programs in Colorado by graduate earnings. University of Colorado Boulder leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $70,359, College Scorecard. Colorado School of Mines, University of Colorado Boulder and Colorado State University - Fort Collins award the most Chemical Engineering degrees in Colorado: 138, 89 and 49 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 3 Colorado colleges offer Chemical Engineering and award 276 degrees and certificates a year in all.

Chemical Engineering is a dynamic field of engineering focused on the design and operation of chemical plants and the optimization of production processes. This program is ideal for students interested in applying principles from…

Institutions
3
offering CIP 14.07
States offered
49
with a program page
Degrees / yr
276
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Median starting salary
$68,318
1 yr after graduation, College Scorecard
With earnings data
3
College Scorecard
Median net price
—
IPEDS 2024–25
Avg graduation rate
74%
IPEDS 2024–25
State pay · Chemical Engineers
$126,060
BLS OEWS May 2025

Top 3 bachelor's programs, ranked by graduate earnings

Ranked by median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard. Programs with fewer than 20 graduates a year, a graduation rate under 30%, or online, degree-completion or graduate-only status rank after the rest.

Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionStarting salary (1 yr)Graduates / yrGrad rateNet priceMedian debt
1University of Colorado Boulder
Boulder Public · Bachelor's degree
$70,3598974%—$24,500
2Colorado School of Mines
Golden Public · Bachelor's degree
$68,31813882%—$27,000
3Colorado State University - Fort Collins
Fort Collins Public · Bachelor's degree
$62,4684967%—$21,240

Colleges awarding the most Chemical Engineering degrees in Colorado

Top 3 by graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25 completions). Certificate and associate programs, online, degree-completion and graduate-only schools, and schools with a graduation rate under 30% are listed in full below.

Graduates / yr: degrees and certificates awarded in a year, IPEDS completions. Starting salary (1 yr): median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard.
#InstitutionGraduates / yrStarting salary (1 yr)
1Colorado School of Mines
Golden Public
138$68,318
2University of Colorado Boulder
Boulder Public
89$70,359
3Colorado State University - Fort Collins
Fort Collins Public
49$62,468

Career outlook

What this program leads to: Chemical Engineers (SOC 17-2041).

Projected growth (2024–2034)
+2.6%
About as fast as average
Openings / yr (US)
~1,100
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$121,860
typically Bachelor's degree

Top skills

ScienceCritical ThinkingReading ComprehensionActive LearningMathematicsSpeaking

What Chemical Engineers earn in Colorado

Jobs in Colorado
720
BLS OEWS May 2025
State average pay
$126,060
median $125,800
Best-paying metro
$127,710
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO

Related careers

Chemical Engineers
$126,060 avg · 720 jobs
Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers
$118,650

Common questions

Answers for students comparing Chemical Engineering programs in Colorado.

Which Colorado colleges award the most Chemical Engineering degrees?+

Colorado School of Mines (138 graduates a year), University of Colorado Boulder (89 graduates a year) and Colorado State University - Fort Collins (49 graduates a year) award the most Chemical Engineering degrees in Colorado, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 3 Colorado colleges offer Chemical Engineering.

What is the best college for Chemical Engineering in Colorado?+

By graduate earnings, University of Colorado Boulder leads among bachelor's Chemical Engineering programs in Colorado, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $70,359, College Scorecard. Colorado School of Mines and Colorado State University - Fort Collins follow. By degrees awarded, Colorado School of Mines is the largest, with 138 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).

Which Chemical Engineering program in Colorado has the highest-earning graduates?+

By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, University of Colorado Boulder tops the list at $70,359. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.

How much do Chemical Engineers earn in Colorado?+

The average annual wage for Chemical Engineers in Colorado is $126,060 (median $125,800), across about 720 jobs. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025.

What is the focus of the Chemical Engineering program?+

Chemical Engineering is a dynamic field of engineering focused on the design and operation of chemical plants and the optimization of production processes. This program is ideal for students interested in applying principles from…

What skills will I develop in this program?+

You will develop science, critical thinking, reading comprehension, active learning, and related professional skills.

What is the job outlook for Chemical Engineers?+

The national job outlook is about +2.6% growth with around 1,100 annual openings (BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034).

What is the typical education requirement?+

A Bachelor's degree is the typical entry-level education for this field (BLS).

About the data on this page

Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
PSEO graduate earnings2019–21 graduation cohorts (release V4.13.0)
Earnings and employment outcomes of graduates by institution, degree level, and field of study, measured from state wage records.
BLS wages & outlookOEWS May 2025 release
Occupational employment and wage estimates plus 10-year job outlook, used to connect programs to real-world earnings.
FVT/GE program performanceProvisional preview, May 18, 2026 release
Program-level debt-to-earnings and earnings-premium measures behind the FVT/GE and STATS accountability frameworks.

Explore every U.S. college in one conversation

Clema turns plain-language questions into sourced answers across every U.S. institution — earnings, aid, acceptance, graduation, safety, and athletics from IPEDS, College Scorecard, and 10+ federal datasets, built in.

Free for teams up to 3 · No credit card