WhatGradsMake
Bachelor's+1% vs national median1,145 grads tracked

Chemical Engineering at Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University

Ranked 20th of 65 bachelor's programs in Chemical Engineering by 5-year earnings.

Median · 1 year out
$83,490
middle 50%: $68,001 – $98,420
Median · 5 years out
$105,085
middle 50%: $86,222 – $124,828
Median · 10 years out
$133,776
middle 50%: $104,709 – $165,855

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 Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University's bachelor's program in Chemical Engineering earn a median $83,490 one year after graduating, rising to $133,776 by year ten. Five years out, earnings run 1% above the national median of $104,343 for this field, ranking 20th 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
≈ $4,007 total interest

Same major at other universities

University of Louisiana at Lafayette
$106,913 · 5 yrs out
Pennsylvania State University (The)
$106,531 · 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
University of Arizona (The)
$105,068 · 5 yrs out
University of Alabama
$104,648 · 5 yrs out
Prairie View Agricultural & Mechanical University
$104,538 · 5 yrs out
University of Cincinnati
$104,343 · 5 yrs out
Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
$103,397 · 5 yrs out
North Carolina State University
$101,678 · 5 yrs out

Other majors at Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University

Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Doctorate)
$160,426 · 5 yrs out
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Doctorate)
$155,674 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Master's)
$148,193 · 5 yrs out
Engineering (Doctorate)
$132,072 · 5 yrs out
Mathematics and Statistics (Doctorate)
$130,533 · 5 yrs out
Applied Mathematics (Bachelor's)
$129,123 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences and Support Services (Bachelor's)
$125,251 · 5 yrs out
Computer and Information Sciences, General (Bachelor's)
$125,251 · 5 yrs out
Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services (Master's)
$121,443 · 5 yrs out
Computer Engineering (Bachelor's)
$119,838 · 5 yrs out
Engineering (Master's)
$116,512 · 5 yrs out
Education (Doctorate)
$109,749 · 5 yrs out

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