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Chemical Engineering

Types of Degrees Chemical Engineering Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing Chemical Engineering have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	8
Associate’s Degree	45
Bachelor’s Degree	8,068
Master’s Degree	1,679
Doctor’s Degree	1,139

What Chemical Engineering Majors Need to Know

Studies in Chemical Engineering build 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 4.7 / 5; level 6.0 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 5.5 / 7.
• Design — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• English Language — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 5.2 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

Skills emphasized by a Chemical Engineering program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to Chemical Engineering careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Inductive Reasoning — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Chemical Engineering graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.4 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.4 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.3 / 7
Working with Computers	4.3 / 7
Getting Information	4.3 / 7
Thinking Creatively	4.3 / 7
Processing Information	4.3 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.1 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	4.0 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	3.9 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Chemical Engineering professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Microsoft Project	Project management software	—
Python	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Oracle Java	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Autodesk AutoCAD	Computer aided design CAD software	✓
Dassault Systemes SolidWorks	Computer aided design CAD software	✓
Computer aided design CAD software	Computer aided design CAD software	—
C++	Object or component oriented development software	✓
The MathWorks MATLAB	Analytical or scientific software	✓

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Chemical Engineering graduates include:

• Metallurgical Engineering Teacher
• Civil Engineering Teacher
• Engineering Lecturer
• Aeronautical Engineering Professor
• Plastics Engineering Teacher
• Metallurgy Teacher
• Applied Mechanics Teacher
• Radar Engineering Teacher
• Motion and Time Study Teacher
• Aeronautics Teacher
• College Faculty Member
• Highway Engineering Teacher
• Lecturer
• Surveying Teacher
• University Faculty Member

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
Doctoral degree	33.0%
Bachelor’s degree	28.5%
Master’s degree	11.2%
Post-master’s certificate	9.9%
Post-doctoral training	9.5%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	2.3%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	1.9%
Postsecondary certificate	1.4%
First professional degree	1.2%
Some college courses	0.7%
High school diploma or equivalent	0.4%
Less than a high school diploma	0.1%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Chemical Engineering?

Gender Distribution

This field has a relatively balanced gender distribution: 40% women and 60% men among Chemical Engineering graduates.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	4,376	40.0%
Men	6,563	60.0%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Chemical Engineering graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	5,479	50.1%
Asian	1,347	12.3%
Hispanic or Latino	1,146	10.5%
Black or African American	383	3.5%
American Indian / Alaska Native	11	0.1%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	3	0.0%
Two or More Races	423	3.9%
Race Unknown	239	2.2%
International Students	1,908	17.4%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Chemical Engineering Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education 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	$74,187
4 years	$87,755
5 years	$99,039

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $99,039 — roughly 33% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Chemical Engineering Programs

Online study is reported by IPEDS for Chemical Engineering. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Associate’s	1	1
Master’s	4	15

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Chemical Engineering Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Chemical Engineering graduates earn a median of $87,755 four years after completion — roughly 131% 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:

Program	CIP Code
Engineering	14
Aerospace, Aeronautical, and Astronautical/Space Engineering	14.02
Agricultural Engineering	14.03
Architectural Engineering	14.04
Biochemical Engineering	14.43
Biological/Biosystems Engineering	14.45
Biomedical/Medical Engineering	14.05
Ceramic Sciences and Engineering	14.06
Civil Engineering	14.08
Computer Engineering	14.09
Construction Engineering	14.33
Electrical and Computer Engineering	14.47

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.