Chemical Engineering Colleges Under $25,000

Princeton University charges $59,710 in tuition yet offers Chemical Engineering students a net price of just $10,555, making it surprisingly accessible alongside public options. This reflects a broader trend where elite private schools compete with state universities through generous aid packages. The chemical industry employs over 785,000 workers nationwide, with major employers like DowDuPont, ExxonMobil, and Procter & Gamble creating demand for graduates across all regions. CUNY City College delivers the lowest net price at $3,486, while University of Florida graduates earn $73,145 annually, the highest among affordable programs. Ohio University operates five regional campuses with identical tuition structures, though graduation rates vary dramatically from 12.1% to 20%. New Mexico's mining heritage supports strong programs at both New Mexico State and New Mexico Tech, where students benefit from industry connections and lower living costs. The earnings range spans from $35,416 to $73,145, demonstrating how school choice significantly impacts career outcomes even within the same major.

Programs

$3,486 – $14,013

Net Price Range

$62,862

Avg. Program Earnings

61.4%

Avg. Graduation Rate

50 Chemical Engineering Programs

Program rankings
#	School	Net Price	In-State Tuition	Graduation Rate	Acceptance Rate
1	CUNY City College New York, New York	$3,486	$7,340	54.7%	66.6%
2	Ohio University-Eastern Campus Saint Clairsville, Ohio	$4,503	$6,178	20.0%
3	Ohio University-Southern Campus Ironton, Ohio	$5,328	$6,178	19.3%
4	Ohio University-Zanesville Campus Zanesville, Ohio	$5,971	$6,178	17.7%
5	Ohio University-Lancaster Campus Lancaster, Ohio	$6,133	$6,178	13.7%
6	University of Florida Gainesville, Florida	$6,351	$6,381	91.5%	23.4%
7	Ohio University-Chillicothe Campus Chillicothe, Ohio	$6,483	$6,178	12.1%
8	New Mexico State University-Main Campus Las Cruces, New Mexico	$6,747	$8,147	52.2%	78.1%
9	New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology Socorro, New Mexico	$8,265	$9,058	56.4%	74.4%
10	University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus Waterbury, Connecticut	$8,896	$17,462	59.5%	97.9%
11	California State University-Long Beach Long Beach, California	$8,931	$7,008	69.9%	40.0%
12	West Virginia University Institute of Technology Beckley, West Virginia	$9,957	$8,064	36.1%	64.6%
13	University of South Florida Tampa, Florida	$10,043	$6,410	74.6%	43.9%
14	Texas A & M University-Kingsville Kingsville, Texas	$10,204	$9,892	45.6%	96.6%
15	Princeton University Princeton, New Jersey	$10,555	$59,710	97.1%	5.7%
16	Christian Brothers University Memphis, Tennessee	$10,896	$37,300	56.0%	87.5%
17	North Carolina A & T State University Greensboro, North Carolina	$10,980	$6,748	55.3%	56.4%
18	Florida State University Tallahassee, Florida	$10,997	$5,656	83.0%	25.0%
19	The University of Texas at San Antonio San Antonio, Texas	$11,234	$8,991	51.2%	86.9%
20	McNeese State University Lake Charles, Louisiana	$11,257	$8,460	52.0%	71.2%
21	Lamar University Beaumont, Texas	$11,429	$8,690	37.2%	83.7%
22	University of Connecticut-Avery Point Groton, Connecticut	$11,504	$17,462	56.7%	97.4%
23	California State Polytechnic University-Pomona Pomona, California	$11,580	$7,439	66.7%	55.4%
24	University of California-San Diego La Jolla, California	$11,750	$15,265	87.6%	23.7%
25	University of Wyoming Laramie, Wyoming	$11,779	$6,938	59.8%	96.0%
26	Youngstown State University Youngstown, Ohio	$11,877	$10,791	52.9%	80.6%
27	Stanford University Stanford, California	$12,136	$62,484	92.8%	3.7%
28	Louisiana Tech University Ruston, Louisiana	$12,209	$10,125	57.6%	62.4%
29	University of Illinois Chicago Chicago, Illinois	$12,313	$14,338	60.3%	78.7%
30	Rice University Houston, Texas	$12,640	$58,128	95.7%	8.7%
31	University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez Mayaguez, Puerto Rico	$12,684	$5,274	47.0%	54.4%
32	The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga Chattanooga, Tennessee	$12,817	$10,144	53.1%	82.7%
33	University of California-Irvine Irvine, California	$12,840	$14,237	86.0%	21.2%
34	West Virginia University Morgantown, West Virginia	$12,997	$9,648	61.2%	88.4%
35	University of Mississippi University, Mississippi	$13,164	$9,412	68.5%	97.4%
36	University of Utah Salt Lake City, Utah	$13,172	$9,315	63.9%	89.1%
37	Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus Atlanta, Georgia	$13,289	$11,764	92.3%	17.1%
38	University of Connecticut-Hartford Campus Hartford, Connecticut	$13,339	$17,452	65.4%	97.3%
39	University of Washington-Seattle Campus Seattle, Washington	$13,485	$12,643	83.7%	47.5%
40	Arizona State University Campus Immersion Tempe, Arizona	$13,670	$12,051	67.8%	89.8%
41	University of California-Riverside Riverside, California	$13,707	$14,170	76.6%	68.7%
42	University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point Stevens Point, Wisconsin	$13,726	$8,834	56.0%	89.1%
43	San Jose State University San Jose, California	$13,741	$7,992	64.7%	76.7%
44	Missouri University of Science and Technology Rolla, Missouri	$13,773	$14,278	63.6%	81.5%
45	University of Idaho Moscow, Idaho	$13,782	$8,816	60.9%	73.9%
46	University of California-Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, California	$13,825	$14,965	85.3%	25.9%
47	University of Houston Houston, Texas	$13,853	$9,711	64.9%	66.2%
48	The University of Texas at Tyler Tyler, Texas	$13,931	$9,920	46.8%	93.9%
49	Purdue University-Main Campus West Lafayette, Indiana	$13,945	$9,992	83.1%	52.7%
50	University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles, California	$14,013	$13,747	92.7%	8.6%

Frequently Asked Questions

What explains the $70,000 difference between Princeton's sticker price and net cost?

Princeton meets 100% of demonstrated financial need without requiring loans, reducing the $59,710 tuition to a $10,555 net price for many students. The university's $26 billion endowment funds this generous aid policy. This makes Princeton more affordable than most state schools for middle and lower-income families, despite its private status.

How do Ohio University's regional campuses compare for Chemical Engineering?

All five Ohio University campuses charge identical $6,178 in-state tuition but show vastly different outcomes. The Eastern Campus graduates 20% of students while Lancaster Campus graduates just 13.7%. Students typically complete foundational coursework at regional campuses before transferring to the main Athens campus for specialized Chemical Engineering courses.

Is University of Florida worth the 23.35% acceptance rate for Chemical Engineering?

Florida graduates earn $73,145 annually, the highest among affordable programs, while maintaining a 91.5% graduation rate. The competitive admission reflects strong demand for a program that costs just $6,351 net price. Florida's location near major petrochemical facilities in Texas and Louisiana provides excellent internship and job opportunities.

Does New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology offer advantages for Chemical Engineers?

New Mexico Tech graduates 56.4% of students with just $15,000 in debt, among the lowest nationally. The school's mining focus provides specialized training in extractive metallurgy and mineral processing. Socorro's location near Los Alamos National Laboratory and Sandia National Laboratories creates unique research and employment opportunities for Chemical Engineering graduates.

Where do Chemical Engineering graduates find the strongest job markets?

Texas leads in chemical industry employment, explaining strong outcomes at Texas A&M Kingsville where graduates earn $47,260. California's varied manufacturing base supports Long Beach State graduates who earn $58,221 annually. Florida's aerospace and energy sectors contribute to the $73,145 average earnings at University of Florida, the highest among affordable programs.

More Chemical Engineering Rankings

Cheapest Chemical Engineering Best Value Chemical Engineering

All Chemical Engineering Programs All College Rankings Highest-Paying Majors 2026

Net price reflects the average cost after grants and scholarships for first-time, full-time students. See our methodology for details.