Bachelor's-4% vs national median1,430 grads tracked
Chemical Engineering at Iowa State University of Science & Technology
Ranked 35th of 65 bachelor's programs in Chemical Engineering by 5-year earnings.
Median · 1 year out
$78,109
middle 50%: $56,714 – $93,843
Median · 5 years out
$100,076
middle 50%: $78,553 – $119,174
Median · 10 years out
$125,812
middle 50%: $97,697 – $162,169
Salary trajectory
Median earnings vs the national median for Chemical Engineering (bachelor's) graduates.
This program (median)National median, same major & degreeMiddle 50% of graduates
Chemical Engineering graduates earn a median of $78k in their first year. After ten years, pay rises to $126k.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau PSEO, release V4.13.0 2025Q4. Earnings are for graduates working in covered states; figures are medians in nominal dollars.
Will the degree pay for itself?
Drag the sliders — payback uses this program's actual salary curve.
Assumes a 6.5% APR loan and this program's median salary trajectory (interpolated between years 1, 5 and 10).
Paid off in
4 yrs
≈ $4,283 total interest
Same major at other universities
University of Colorado Boulder
$101,205 · 5 yrs out
University of Massachusetts - Amherst
$101,184 · 5 yrs out
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
$101,165 · 5 yrs out
West Virginia University - Institute of Technology
$101,115 · 5 yrs out
Clemson University
$100,908 · 5 yrs out
Ohio State University (The)
$100,878 · 5 yrs out
University of Utah
$100,066 · 5 yrs out
Miami University
$99,928 · 5 yrs out
University of Massachusetts - Lowell
$99,674 · 5 yrs out
University of South Carolina - Columbia
$99,316 · 5 yrs out
University of Iowa
$99,144 · 5 yrs out
Oregon State University
$98,926 · 5 yrs out
Other majors at Iowa State University of Science & Technology
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Master's)
$147,324 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Doctorate)
$146,317 · 5 yrs out
Engineering (Doctorate)
$136,278 · 5 yrs out
Engineering (Master's)
$118,825 · 5 yrs out
Mathematics and Statistics (Doctorate)
$116,045 · 5 yrs out
Social Sciences (Doctorate)
$115,806 · 5 yrs out
Agricultural/Animal/Plant/Veterinary Science and Related Fields (Doctorate)
$113,881 · 5 yrs out
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Doctorate)
$110,315 · 5 yrs out
Education (Doctorate)
$107,785 · 5 yrs out
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's)
$107,597 · 5 yrs out
Mathematics and Statistics (Master's)
$104,160 · 5 yrs out
Electrical, Electronics, and Communications Engineering (Bachelor's)
$104,015 · 5 yrs out
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