Chemical Engineering
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Types of Degrees Chemical Engineering Majors Are Earning
People majoring in Chemical Engineering have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.
| Award Level | Graduates |
|---|---|
| Certificate | 13 |
| Associate’s Degree | 17 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 1 |
| Master’s Degree | 32 |
What Chemical Engineering Majors Need to Know
Coursework for Chemical Engineering develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Chemical Engineering graduates commonly enter.
Knowledge Areas
This major prepares you for careers needing Chemical Engineering emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
- Engineering and Technology — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
- Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
- Mathematics — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
- English Language — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
- Physics — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*
Skills
The skill set built by a Chemical Engineering program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
- Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
- Quality Control Analysis — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
- Active Listening — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.
- Critical Thinking — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
- Operations Monitoring — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.1 / 7.
Abilities
Abilities most relevant to Chemical Engineering careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:
- Near Vision — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
- Problem Sensitivity — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
- Written Comprehension — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
- Oral Comprehension — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4 / 7.
- Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
Common Job Activities
Day-to-day, Chemical Engineering graduates report doing:
| Activity | Frequency / Importance |
|---|---|
| Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials | 4.5 / 7 |
| Getting Information | 4.3 / 7 |
| Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards | 4.3 / 7 |
| Documenting/Recording Information | 4.2 / 7 |
| Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings | 4.2 / 7 |
| Making Decisions and Solving Problems | 4.1 / 7 |
| Working with Computers | 4.1 / 7 |
| Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events | 4.0 / 7 |
| Processing Information | 4.0 / 7 |
| Controlling Machines and Processes | 4.0 / 7 |
Technology Skills Used on the Job
Most frequently-cited tools used by Chemical Engineering professionals:
| Tool / Software | Category | In-Demand |
|---|---|---|
| National Instruments LabVIEW | Development environment software | — |
| Microsoft Word | Word processing software | ✓ |
| Autodesk AutoCAD | Computer aided design CAD software | — |
| Microsoft Access | Data base user interface and query software | — |
| Microsoft PowerPoint | Presentation software | — |
| Microsoft Office software | Office suite software | ✓ |
| SAP software | Enterprise resource planning ERP software | — |
| Microsoft Excel | Spreadsheet software | ✓ |
| Computer aided manufacturing CAM software | Computer aided manufacturing CAM software | — |
| Enterprise resource planning ERP software | Enterprise resource planning ERP software | — |
| Computer aided design CAD software | Computer aided design CAD software | — |
| Word processing software | Word processing software | — |
Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*
Sample Job Titles
Real job postings for Chemical Engineering graduates include:
- Test Technician (Test Tech)
- Laser Specialist
- Fiber Optics Design Technician (Fiber Optics Design Tech)
- Medical Laser Technician (Medical Laser Tech)
- Fiber Technician (Fiber Tech)
- Fiber Splicer
- Photonics Laboratory Technician (Photonics Lab Tech)
- Fiber Optics Technician (Fiber Optics Tech)
- Surgical Laser Technician (Surgical Laser Tech)
- Laser Operator
- Fiber Optics Assembler
- Splicing Technician (Splicing Tech)
- Laser Assembly Technician (Laser Assembly Tech)
- Photonics Engineering Technologist
- Mobile Technician (Mobile Tech)
Education Typically Required
Across the occupations open to Chemical Engineering graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:
| Education Level | Share of Workers |
|---|---|
| High school diploma or equivalent | 47.2% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 25.4% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 9.2% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 6.9% |
| Some college courses | 6.8% |
| Master’s degree | 2.3% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 2.2% |
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Who Is Earning a Degree in Chemical Engineering?
Gender Distribution
This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 76.2% of Chemical Engineering degrees.
| Gender | Graduates | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Women | 15 | 23.8% |
| Men | 48 | 76.2% |
Racial-Ethnic Diversity
At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Chemical Engineering graduates is as follows:
| Race / Ethnicity | Graduates | Share |
|---|---|---|
| White | 51 | 81.0% |
| Asian | 1 | 1.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 6 | 9.5% |
| Black or African American | 1 | 1.6% |
| Two or More Races | 3 | 4.8% |
| International Students | 1 | 1.6% |
See minority definition below.
How Much Do Chemical Engineering Graduates Earn?
Federal data tracks median earnings of Chemical Engineering graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $59,570 |
| 4 years | $66,536 |
| 5 years | $74,003 |
By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $74,003 — roughly 24% above the 1-year mark.
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Is a Degree in Chemical Engineering Worth It?
On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Chemical Engineering graduates earn a median of $66,536 four years after completion — roughly 75% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).
ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.
Related Programs
You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:
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References
The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.
- College Factual
- National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
- O*NET Online
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
- U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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