Best institutions to study Chemical Engineering
Compare 189 U.S. colleges offering Chemical Engineering by graduate earnings, cost, and outcomes. Federal data across 49 states.
Chemical Engineering programs report a median of $73,479 one year after graduation (College Scorecard, 2024), and map to CIP 14.07 and the Chemical Engineers occupation (BLS SOC).
About Chemical Engineering programs
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 chemistry, physics, mathematics, and biology to develop efficient methods for transforming raw materials into valuable products.
Students in Chemical Engineering gain essential skills in science, critical thinking, and mathematics. Coursework typically covers topics such as engineering design, production processes, and safety procedures, equipping graduates with the knowledge needed to tackle complex engineering challenges.
Top 50 institutions, ranked by graduate earnings
Earnings = median 1 year after graduation (College Scorecard, predominant credential).
| # | Institution | Grad earnings (1 yr) | Completions | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rice University Houston, TX Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $87,830 | 37 | 95% | $13,264 | $13,178 |
| 2 | The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX Public · Bachelor's degree | $87,365 | 185 | 89% | — | $19,844 |
| 3 | Lamar University Beaumont, TX Public · Bachelor's degree | $87,284 | 25 | 37% | — | $20,019 |
| 4 | University of Florida Gainesville, FL Public · Bachelor's degree | $87,164 | 116 | 91% | — | $20,050 |
| 5 | Texas A&M University - College Station College Station, TX Public · Bachelor's degree | $86,176 | 233 | 84% | — | $18,135 |
| 6 | University of Wisconsin - Madison Madison, WI Public · Bachelor's degree | $85,945 | 113 | 90% | — | $21,947 |
| 7 | Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus Atlanta, GA Public · Bachelor's degree | $85,847 | 205 | 94% | — | $27,000 |
| 8 | University of Virginia - Main Campus Charlottesville, VA Public · Bachelor's degree | $85,772 | 58 | 96% | — | $17,733 |
| 9 | Cornell University Ithaca, NY Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $85,578 | 123 | 95% | $17,613 | $14,361 |
| 10 | University of Houston Houston, TX Public · Bachelor's degree | $84,468 | 105 | 65% | — | $20,000 |
| 11 | University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point Stevens Point, WI Public · Bachelor's degree | $84,047 | 9 | 51% | — | $22,565 |
| 12 | Case Western Reserve University Cleveland, OH Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $83,706 | 61 | 87% | $27,976 | $23,250 |
| 13 | University of Notre Dame Notre Dame, IN Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $83,377 | 92 | 95% | $19,452 | $19,000 |
| 14 | Oklahoma State University - Main Campus Stillwater, OK Public · Bachelor's degree | $82,466 | 44 | 68% | — | $25,875 |
| 15 | Lehigh University Bethlehem, PA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $82,435 | 49 | 88% | $26,912 | $27,000 |
| 16 | Rose - Hulman Institute of Technology Terre Haute, IN Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $82,394 | 47 | 78% | $36,775 | $24,500 |
| 17 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University Blacksburg, VA Public · Bachelor's degree | $82,382 | 90 | 86% | — | $25,350 |
| 18 | University of Cincinnati - Main Campus Cincinnati, OH Public · Bachelor's degree | $82,372 | 105 | 75% | — | $21,333 |
| 19 | Pennsylvania State University - Main Campus University Park, PA Public · Bachelor's degree | $82,218 | 172 | 86% | — | $26,831 |
| 20 | Auburn University Auburn, AL Public · Bachelor's degree | $82,217 | 115 | 82% | — | $23,104 |
| 21 | Northeastern University Boston, MA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $81,880 | 116 | 91% | $18,925 | $27,000 |
| 22 | University of Maryland - College Park College Park, MD Public · Bachelor's degree | $81,777 | 70 | 89% | — | $23,250 |
| 23 | University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, PA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $81,721 | 64 | 97% | $22,055 | $20,500 |
| 24 | University of California - Berkeley Berkeley, CA Public · Bachelor's degree | $81,553 | 146 | 93% | — | $18,155 |
| 25 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh Raleigh, NC Public · Bachelor's degree | $81,492 | 234 | 85% | — | $22,244 |
| 26 | Purdue University - Main Campus West Lafayette, IN Public · Bachelor's degree | $81,105 | 251 | 83% | — | $21,500 |
| 27 | Northwestern University Evanston, IL Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $80,709 | 60 | 95% | $14,799 | $16,500 |
| 28 | Bucknell University Lewisburg, PA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $80,653 | 19 | 86% | $30,675 | $27,000 |
| 29 | University of Delaware Newark, DE Public · Bachelor's degree | $80,564 | 103 | 81% | — | $26,058 |
| 30 | Michigan Technological University Houghton, MI Public · Bachelor's degree | $80,193 | 93 | 68% | — | $24,750 |
| 31 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, MA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $80,139 | 88 | 96% | $11,666 | $15,209 |
| 32 | University of Dayton Dayton, OH Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $79,865 | 34 | 80% | $28,560 | $22,999 |
| 33 | University of Toledo Toledo, OH Public · Bachelor's degree | $79,750 | 35 | 57% | — | $25,750 |
| 34 | University of California - Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA Public · Bachelor's degree | $79,737 | 64 | 83% | — | $14,937 |
| 35 | Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond, VA Public · Bachelor's degree | $79,721 | 32 | 63% | — | $27,000 |
| 36 | University of Nebraska - Lincoln Lincoln, NE Public · Bachelor's degree | $79,603 | 33 | 67% | — | $27,816 |
| 37 | Lafayette College Easton, PA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $79,602 | 22 | 88% | $20,396 | $17,000 |
| 38 | University of Michigan - Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI Public · Bachelor's degree | $79,551 | 139 | 93% | — | $21,250 |
| 39 | Stevens Institute of Technology Hoboken, NJ Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $79,339 | 53 | 87% | $34,827 | $26,686 |
| 40 | Louisiana Tech University Ruston, LA Public · Bachelor's degree | $79,157 | 24 | 64% | — | $18,342 |
| 41 | Michigan State University East Lansing, MI Public · Bachelor's degree | $79,023 | 84 | 81% | — | $26,573 |
| 42 | University of Maine Orono, ME Public · Bachelor's degree | $78,838 | 30 | 55% | — | $20,425 |
| 43 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion Tempe, AZ Public · Bachelor's degree | $78,813 | 128 | 68% | — | $21,500 |
| 44 | Worcester Polytechnic Institute Worcester, MA Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $78,767 | 85 | 90% | $32,926 | $27,000 |
| 45 | Missouri University of Science and Technology Rolla, MO Public · Bachelor's degree | $78,369 | 85 | 64% | — | $24,250 |
| 46 | North Carolina A & T State University Greensboro, NC Public · Bachelor's degree | $78,323 | 29 | 57% | — | $26,000 |
| 47 | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Troy, NY Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $78,263 | 73 | 84% | $28,900 | $25,332 |
| 48 | Mississippi State University Mississippi State, MS Public · Bachelor's degree | $78,183 | 73 | 67% | — | $23,298 |
| 49 | University of Oklahoma - Norman Campus Norman, OK Public · Bachelor's degree | $77,751 | 45 | 75% | — | $26,000 |
| 50 | Texas Tech University Lubbock, TX Public · Bachelor's degree | $77,586 | 111 | 69% | — | $28,000 |
Offered across 49 states & territories
The same program, compared state by state. Pick a state for in-state earnings and institutions.
Careers & outlook
The payoff after graduation: occupation 17-2041, Chemical Engineers, and its national outlook.
Graduates of Chemical Engineering can expect a career outlook that is about as fast as average, with an estimated 1,100 annual job openings. The median wage for chemical engineers is $121,860, and a typical entry-level position requires a Bachelor's degree.
Top-paying metros
Related careers
CIP-to-SOC crosswalk for Chemical Engineering
The SOC occupations NCES officially maps to CIP 14.07.
Under the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk, CIP 14.07 (Chemical Engineering) maps to 5 Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) occupations, the jobs the U.S. Department of Labor links to this field of study.
| SOC code | Occupation |
|---|---|
| 11-9041 | Architectural and Engineering Managers |
| 17-2031 | Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers |
| 17-2041 | Chemical Engineersprimary |
| 17-2199 | Engineers, All Other |
| 25-1032 | Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary |
Source: National Center for Education Statistics, CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 Crosswalk.
Skills & knowledge in Chemical Engineering programs
From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this program most leads to.
Skills you'll build
Knowledge areas
What graduates do on the job
- 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.
- Evaluate chemical equipment and processes to identify ways to optimize performance or to ensure compliance with safety and environmental regulations.
- Design and plan layout of equipment.
- Prepare estimate of production costs and production progress reports for management.
Concentrations within Chemical Engineering
Specializations under this field (NCES CIP 2020).
- Chemical EngineeringCIP 14.0701
A program that prepares individuals to apply mathematical and scientific principles to the design, development and operational evaluation of systems employing chemical processes, such as chemical reac
- Chemical and Biomolecular EngineeringCIP 14.0702
A program that prepares individuals to apply mathematical and scientific principles to the design, development and operational evaluation of systems at the interface of chemical engineering and biolog
- Chemical Engineering, OtherCIP 14.0799
Any instructional program in chemical engineering not listed above.
Common questions
What is Chemical Engineering?+
Chemical Engineering is the study of the design and operation of chemical plants, focusing on converting raw materials into useful products.
What skills will I develop?+
You will develop skills in science, critical thinking, mathematics, and effective communication.
What is the job outlook for Chemical Engineering?+
The job outlook is about as fast as average, with approximately 1,100 annual openings.
What is the median salary for chemical engineers?+
The median salary for chemical engineers is $121,860.
How much do Chemical Engineering graduates earn?+
Chemical Engineering graduates report median earnings of $73,479 one year after graduation, per College Scorecard (2024); the Chemical Engineers occupation pays about $129,980 on average nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025).
What is the CIP code for Chemical Engineering?+
Chemical Engineering maps to CIP 14.07 in the Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP), the U.S. Department of Education taxonomy used for College Scorecard Field of Study earnings and IPEDS completions.
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.
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