Best Colleges for Chemical Engineering

Chemical engineering graduates enter a field with strong earning potential, with typical starting salaries around $66,408 annually. This discipline combines chemistry, physics, and mathematics to solve problems in manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, energy, and environmental protection. When evaluating chemical engineering programs, students should prioritize hands-on laboratory experience, industry partnerships, and faculty research opportunities. Look for programs with modern facilities, co-op or internship programs, and strong job placement rates. Accreditation by ABET ensures the curriculum meets industry standards. With 152 schools offering this major nationwide, students have numerous options to find programs that align with their career goals and learning preferences.

Schools Ranked

$78,974

Avg. Program Earnings

83.3%

Avg. Graduation Rate

Top 25 Schools

College rankings
#	School	Median Earnings	Graduation Rate	School Type
1	Stanford University Stanford, California	$91,744	92.8%	private-nonprofit
2	Howard University Washington, District of Columbia	$84,653	68.9%	private-nonprofit
3	Rice University Houston, Texas	$83,915	95.7%	private-nonprofit
4	Cornell University Ithaca, New York	$83,351	95.1%	private-nonprofit
5	Kettering University Flint, Michigan	$83,177	70.5%	private-nonprofit
6	The University of Texas at Austin Austin, Texas	$82,830	87.6%	public
7	Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, Massachusetts	$80,964	96.1%	private-nonprofit
8	University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, California	$80,718	92.9%	public
9	Texas A & M University-College Station College Station, Texas	$80,669	83.8%	public
10	Northwestern University Evanston, Illinois	$79,688	95.9%	private-nonprofit
11	Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology Terre Haute, Indiana	$79,473	81.7%	private-nonprofit
12	University of Arkansas Fayetteville, Arkansas	$78,343	70.0%	public
13	University of Louisville Louisville, Kentucky	$77,715	60.7%	public
14	University of Notre Dame Notre Dame, Indiana	$76,460	96.8%	private-nonprofit
15	Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Baton Rouge, Louisiana	$76,460	71.0%	public
16	Wayne State University Detroit, Michigan	$76,460	56.5%	public
17	Bucknell University Lewisburg, Pennsylvania	$76,460	86.2%	private-nonprofit
18	Brigham Young University Provo, Utah	$76,460	82.2%	private-nonprofit
19	Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania	$75,432	92.5%	private-nonprofit
20	Columbia University in the City of New York New York, New York	$75,204	95.0%	private-nonprofit
21	Youngstown State University Youngstown, Ohio	$75,204	52.9%	public
22	University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, Michigan	$75,104	93.2%	public
23	Clemson University Clemson, South Carolina	$74,721	87.9%	public
24	Auburn University Auburn, Alabama	$74,576	79.2%	public
25	University of Pennsylvania Philadelphia, Pennsylvania	$74,576	96.8%	private-nonprofit