WhatGradsMake
Bachelor's+2% vs national median1,634 grads tracked

Chemical Engineering at Pennsylvania State University (The)

Ranked 15th of 65 bachelor's programs in Chemical Engineering by 5-year earnings.

Median · 1 year out
$82,659
middle 50%: $66,496 – $101,896
Median · 5 years out
$106,531
middle 50%: $88,116 – $129,052
Median · 10 years out
$132,620
middle 50%: $107,587 – $168,838

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

Graduates of Pennsylvania State University (The)'s bachelor's program in Chemical Engineering earn a median $82,659 one year after graduating, rising to $132,620 by year ten. Five years out, earnings run 2% above the national median of $104,343 for this field, ranking 15th of 65 reporting programs.

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
3.8 yrs
≈ $4,025 total interest

Same major at other universities

Colorado School of Mines
$112,328 · 5 yrs out
Purdue University
$110,221 · 5 yrs out
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
$109,958 · 5 yrs out
University of Virginia
$108,167 · 5 yrs out
Texas A&M University - Kingsville
$107,201 · 5 yrs out
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
$106,913 · 5 yrs out
Georgia Institute of Technology
$106,251 · 5 yrs out
University of Oklahoma
$105,975 · 5 yrs out
University of Michigan
$105,756 · 5 yrs out
Arizona State University
$105,377 · 5 yrs out
Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University
$105,085 · 5 yrs out
University of Arizona (The)
$105,068 · 5 yrs out

Other majors at Pennsylvania State University (The)

Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Doctorate)
$182,178 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Doctorate)
$177,057 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Master's)
$143,044 · 5 yrs out
Engineering (Doctorate)
$135,252 · 5 yrs out
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Master's)
$130,869 · 5 yrs out
Mathematics and Statistics (Doctorate)
$122,394 · 5 yrs out
Petroleum Engineering (Bachelor's)
$116,440 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's)
$115,495 · 5 yrs out
Computer/Information Technology Administration and Management (Bachelor's)
$115,004 · 5 yrs out
Health Professions and Related Programs (Doctorate)
$114,831 · 5 yrs out
Mining and Mineral Engineering (Bachelor's)
$114,734 · 5 yrs out
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's)
$114,727 · 5 yrs out

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