Best colleges for Chemical Engineering in Texas
Ranked by graduate earnings
Rice University, The University of Texas at Austin and Lamar University are the top bachelor's Chemical Engineering programs in Texas by graduate earnings. Rice University leads with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $87,830, College Scorecard. Texas A&M University - College Station, The University of Texas at Austin and Texas Tech University award the most Chemical Engineering degrees in Texas: 233, 185 and 111 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25). 14 Texas colleges offer Chemical Engineering and award 784 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…
Top 8 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.
| # | Institution | Starting salary (1 yr) | Graduates / yr | Grad rate | Net price | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rice University Houston Private not-for-profit · Bachelor's degree | $87,830 | 37 | 95% | $13,264 | $13,178 |
| 2 | The University of Texas at Austin Austin Public · Bachelor's degree | $87,365 | 185 | 89% | — | $19,844 |
| 3 | Lamar University Beaumont Public · Bachelor's degree | $87,284 | 25 | 37% | — | $20,019 |
| 4 | Texas A&M University - College Station College Station Public · Bachelor's degree | $86,176 | 233 | 84% | — | $18,135 |
| 5 | University of Houston Houston Public · Bachelor's degree | $84,468 | 105 | 65% | — | $20,000 |
| 6 | Texas Tech University Lubbock Public · Bachelor's degree | $77,586 | 111 | 69% | — | $28,000 |
| 7 | Texas A&M University - Kingsville Kingsville Public · Bachelor's degree | $55,622 | 26 | 42% | — | $23,500 |
| 8 | Prairie View A & M University Prairie View Public · Bachelor's degree Small program | $58,627 | 19 | 43% | — | $33,000 |
Colleges awarding the most Chemical Engineering degrees in Texas
Top 10 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.
| # | Institution | Graduates / yr | Starting salary (1 yr) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Texas A&M University - College Station College Station Public | 233 | $86,176 |
| 2 | The University of Texas at Austin Austin Public | 185 | $87,365 |
| 3 | Texas Tech University Lubbock Public | 111 | $77,586 |
| 4 | University of Houston Houston Public | 105 | $84,468 |
| 5 | Rice University Houston Private not-for-profit | 37 | $87,830 |
| 6 | Texas A&M University - Kingsville Kingsville Public | 26 | $55,622 |
| 7 | Lamar University Beaumont Public | 25 | $87,284 |
| 8 | The University of Texas at San Antonio San Antonio Public | 22 | Not reported |
| 9 | Prairie View A & M University Prairie View Public | 19 | $58,627 |
| 10 | The University of Texas at Tyler Tyler Public | 7 | Not reported |
ShowHide the other 4 Texas colleges offering Chemical Engineering
| Institution | City | Control | Graduates / yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lone Star College System | The Woodlands | Public | 7 |
| The University of Texas Permian Basin | Odessa | Public | 5 |
| Austin Community College District | Austin | Public | 1 |
| McLennan Community College | Waco | Public | 1 |
Career outlook
What this program leads to: Chemical Engineers (SOC 17-2041).
Top skills
What Chemical Engineers earn in Texas
Related careers
Common questions
Answers for students comparing Chemical Engineering programs in Texas.
Which Texas colleges award the most Chemical Engineering degrees?+
Texas A&M University - College Station (233 graduates a year), The University of Texas at Austin (185 graduates a year) and Texas Tech University (111 graduates a year) award the most Chemical Engineering degrees in Texas, per IPEDS 2024–25 completions. In all, 14 Texas colleges offer Chemical Engineering.
What is the best college for Chemical Engineering in Texas?+
By graduate earnings, Rice University leads among bachelor's Chemical Engineering programs in Texas, with median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary) of $87,830, College Scorecard. The University of Texas at Austin and Lamar University follow. By degrees awarded, Texas A&M University - College Station is the largest, with 233 graduates a year (IPEDS 2024–25).
Which Chemical Engineering program in Texas has the highest-earning graduates?+
By median earnings one year after graduation (often called starting salary), College Scorecard, Rice University tops the list at $87,830. Compare it against graduates a year, graduation rate, cost, and debt in the ranked table above.
How much do Chemical Engineers earn in Texas?+
The average annual wage for Chemical Engineers in Texas is $144,350 (median $132,750), across about 2,610 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.
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