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Chem Eng Major

Chem Eng

10,172 Bachelor's Degrees Annually
1,558 Master's Degrees Annually
#51 in Popularity

Types of Degrees Chem Eng Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many chemical engineering graduations there were for each degree level during the last year for which data was available.

Education Level Number of Grads
Bachelor’s Degree 8,935
Master’s Degree 1,687
Doctor’s Degree 1,120
Associate Degree 25
Graduate Certificate 24
Undergraduate Certificate 24
Basic Certificate 15

What Chem Eng Majors Need to Know

People with careers related to chem eng were asked what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. They weighted these areas on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the highest.

Knowledge Areas for Chem Eng Majors

According to O*NET survey takers, a major in chem eng should prepare you for careers in which you will need to be knowledgeable in the following areas:

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  • Engineering and Technology - Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
  • Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
  • English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Design - Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models.
  • Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Skills for Chem Eng Majors

A major in chem eng prepares you for careers in which the following skill-sets are crucial:

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  • Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.

Abilities for Chem Eng Majors

As you progress with your chem eng degree, there are several abilities you should pick up that will help you in whatever related career you choose. These abilities include:

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  • Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
  • Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).

What Can You Do With a Chem Eng Major?

People with a chem eng degree often go into the following careers:

Job Title Job Growth Rate Median Salary
Architectural and Engineering Managers 5.5% $140,760
Biochemical Engineers 6.4% $96,980
Biofuels/Biodiesel Technology and Product Development Managers 5.5% $140,760
Chemical Engineers 7.3% $104,910
Engineering Professors 14.7% $101,720
Nanosystems Engineers 6.4% $96,980

Who Is Getting a Bachelor’s Degree in Chem Eng?

8,935 Bachelor's Degrees Annually
42% Percent Women
35% Percent Racial-Ethnic Minorities*
This is a less frequently chosen undergraduate major. Only 10,172 students graduated with a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering in 2021, making it rank #51 in popularity. This major attracts more men than women. About 58% of the graduates in this field are male.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of chem eng majors is as follows:

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Race/Ethnicity Number of Grads
Asian 1,233
Black or African American 400
Hispanic or Latino 1,099
White 4,952
International Students 705
Other Races/Ethnicities 546

Geographic Diversity

Students from other countries are interested in Chem Eng, too. About 7.9% of those with this major are international students.

Some careers associated with chem eng require an advanced degree while some may not even require a bachelor’s. In general, the more advanced your degree the more career options will open up to you. However, there is significant time and money that needs to be invested into your education so weigh the pros and cons.

How much schooling do you really need to compete in today’s job market? People currently working in careers related to chem eng have obtained the following education levels.

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Education Level Percentage of Workers
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED) 0.3%
Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production) 1.6%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) 1.6%
Bachelor’s Degree 47.8%
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master. 3.3%
Master’s Degree 23.3%
Post-Master’s Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Master’s degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees at the doctoral level. 2.9%
First Professional Degree - awarded for completion of a program that: requires at least 2 years of college work before entrance into the program, includes a total of at least 6 academic years of work to complete, and provides all remaining academic requirements to begin practice in a profession. 1.2%
Doctoral Degree 14.7%
Post-Doctoral Training 3.2%

Online Chem Eng Programs

The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level Colleges Offering Programs Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year) 0 0
Certificate (1-2 years) 1 0
Certificate (2-4 Years) 0 0
Associate’s Degree 26 1
Bachelor’s Degree 11 2
Post-Baccalaureate 0 0
Master’s Degree 151 5
Post-Master’s 3 0
Doctor’s Degree (Research) 118 0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice) 0 0
Doctor’s Degree (Other) 0 0

You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to chem eng.

Major Number of Grads
Mechanical Engineering 43,522
Electrical Engineering 27,809
Civil Engineering 20,728
Computer Engineering 18,973
Biomedical Engineering 14,006
General Engineering 12,241
Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering 9,220
Industrial Engineering 8,722
Systems Engineering 4,148
Materials Engineering 3,397
Other Engineering 3,221
Environmental Engineering 3,012
Electrical and Computer Engineering. 1,988
Operations Research 1,907
Robotics Engineering 1,759
Engineering Science 1,338
Agricultural Engineering 1,328
Construction Engineering 1,284
Architectural Engineering 1,090
Engineering Physics 1,047
Manufacturing Engineering 942
Petroleum Engineering 941
Nuclear Engineering 885
Biological Engineering 411
Marine Engineering 390
Geoscience Engineering 315
Mining Engineering 300
Textile Engineering 292
Ocean Engineering 290
Polymer & Plastics Engineering 290
Engineering Mechanics 209
Metallurgical Engineering 195
Energy Systems Engineering 187
Biochemical Engineering 141
Surveying Engineering 123
Ceramic Engineering 60
Forest Engineering 57
Paper Science & Engineering 48
Electromechanical Engineering 47
Engineering Chemistry 27

References

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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