Chemical Engineering
Chemical Engineering graduates earn an average annual wage of $124,177, making it one of the higher-paying degree fields. With 20,710 professionals in the field earning competitive wages, this degree offers strong career prospects.
Key Statistics
Institutions
Information about the types of higher education institutions that grant degrees in Chemical Engineering and the types of students that study this field.
Tuition Costs for Common Institutions
$10,560 Median In-State Public
$59,710 Median Out of State Private
Tuition costs for Chemical Engineering majors are, on average, $10,560 for in-state public colleges, and $59,710 for out of state private colleges.
Tuition costs comparison for Chemical Engineering programs.
Degrees Awarded Over Time
10,939 Total Degrees Awarded in 2023
This chart shows the number of degrees awarded in Chemical Engineering from 2015 to 2023.
Historical trend of degrees awarded in Chemical Engineering.
Top 5 Schools by Enrollment
| # | School | State | Enrollment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion | AZ | 64,398 |
| 2 | Texas A&M University-College Station | TX | 59,099 |
| 3 | Ohio State University-Main Campus | OH | 44,617 |
| 4 | The University of Texas at Austin | TX | 42,100 |
| 5 | University of Arizona | AZ | 40,769 |
Schools with the largest enrollment offering Chemical Engineering programs.
Top 5 Most Affordable Tuition
| # | School | State | Tuition |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Austin Community College District | TX | $2,550 |
| 2 | College of Southern Idaho | ID | $3,360 |
| 3 | Holmes Community College | MS | $3,510 |
| 4 | McLennan Community College | TX | $3,660 |
| 5 | Spokane Community College | WA | $4,057 |
Schools with the lowest tuition costs for Chemical Engineering programs.
Top 5 Most Affordable Net Price
| # | School | State | Net Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | CUNY City College | NY | $3,486 |
| 2 | Middlesex Community College | MA | $3,694 |
| 3 | Ohio University-Eastern Campus | OH | $4,503 |
| 4 | CUNY Hostos Community College | NY | $5,001 |
| 5 | Community College of Rhode Island | RI | $5,240 |
Schools with the lowest net price (after financial aid) for Chemical Engineering programs.
Graduation Rates
62.26% Median Graduation Rate (150% of normal time)
60.78% Average Graduation Rate
293 Institutions Reporting
48.18% - 77.75% Interquartile Range
Graduation/completion rates for Chemical Engineering programs across institutions.
Employment
Information on the businesses and industries that employ Chemical Engineering graduates and on wages and locations for those in the field.
Yearly Income for Common Jobs
$124,177 Average Wage in Workforce
The average salary for Chemical Engineering majors is $124,177.
Average annual salaries of the most common occupations for Chemical Engineering majors.
Occupations by Share
20,710 2023 Workforce
The number of Chemical Engineering graduates in the workforce has been growing.
Various jobs filled by those with a major in Chemical Engineering by share of the total number of graduates.
Return on Investment & Value
Financial analysis of Chemical Engineering degree including debt, earnings, and return on investment metrics.
Financial Value Analysis
ROI data is not available for this degree program.
Financial value comparison for Chemical Engineering degree.
Diversity
Demographic information for those who earn a degree in Chemical Engineering in the United States.
Workforce Age
N/A Average Age in 2023
This chart shows distribution of ages for employees with a degree in Chemical Engineering.
Age distribution for Chemical Engineering degree holders in the workforce.
Gender Distribution
197,615 Total Degrees Awarded
145,715 Male (73.74%)
51,900 Female (26.26%)
Gender distribution of Chemical Engineering degree recipients.
Race and Ethnicity Distribution
88,283 White (44.67%)
23,939 Hispanic or Latino (12.11%)
21,854 Asian (11.06%)
7,528 Black or African American (3.81%)
7,064 Two or More Races (3.57%)
Racial and ethnic distribution of Chemical Engineering degree recipients.
Degrees Awarded
The most common degree types awarded to students graduating in Chemical Engineering are Bachelors Degree, Masters Degree, and Associates Degree.
Distribution of degree types awarded in Chemical Engineering.
Skills
Data on the critical and distinctive skills necessary for those working in the Chemical Engineering field from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Required Skills
Chemical Engineering majors need many skills, but most especially Critical Thinking, Active Listening, and Reading Comprehension.
Rating of how necessary various skills are for Chemical Engineering majors.
Skills Bar Chart
This bar chart shows the same information as the radar chart, displaying the importance of each skill.
Skill importance ratings for Chemical Engineering majors.
About
Chemical Engineering
In 2023, 10,939 degrees were awarded across all undergraduate and graduate programs in Chemical Engineering.
CIP Code
14.1407 - Chemical Engineering
Insights and Analysis
High Earning Potential: Chemical Engineering graduates earn an average annual wage of $124,177, placing them among the top earners in the workforce. This strong earning potential reflects both the demand for skills in this field and the value employers place on this degree.
Data Sources
This page uses data from the following sources:
- College Scorecard - U.S. Department of Education
- Institutional characteristics, costs, completion rates, and earnings data
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: collegescorecard.ed.gov
- Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)
- Employment and wage data by occupation
- Latest data: May 2024
- Source: bls.gov/oes
- O*NET Online - U.S. Department of Labor
- Occupational skills, knowledge, abilities, and work activities
- Database version: 28.0 (August 2023)
- Source: onetcenter.org
- IPEDS (Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System) - National Center for Education Statistics
- Institutional data, completions, enrollment, and financial aid
- Data years: 2015-2024
- Source: nces.ed.gov/ipeds
- Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS)
- Demographic and workforce data
- Latest data: 2023 ACS 5-Year Estimates
- Source: census.gov/acs
Data Processing: All data has been processed, cleaned, and aggregated for presentation. Where specific data points are unavailable, estimates are based on available data and clearly marked.
Last Updated: Data reflects the most recent available information as of January 2025.
Methodology
Data for this profile is sourced from the U.S. Department of Education's College Scorecard dataset, IPEDS completion data, and Bureau of Labor Statistics employment data.
All financial figures are adjusted for inflation and represent the most recent available data. Employment and wage data are from the most recent Census Bureau ACS PUMS estimates.