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2022 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Chemical Engineering (Income $0-$30k) in the Southwest Region

16 Ranked Colleges
1,317 Degrees Awarded
$10,700 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor's in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual has developed its “Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

In 2019-2020, 13,314 people earned their degree in chemical engineering, making the major the 53rd most popular in the United States.

Across the Southwest region, there were 1,595 chemical engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $0 and $0 respectively. At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,317 chemical engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $38,896 and $23,899 respectively.

For this year’s “Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, we looked at 16 colleges that offer a degree in chemical engineering. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality chemical engineering programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

When determining these rankings, we looked at things such as overall quality of the chemical engineering program at the school and the cost to attend the school once aid has been awarded. See our ranking methodology to learn more.

One Size Does Not Fit All

When choosing the right school for you, it’s important to arm yourself with all the facts you can. To that end, we’ve created a number of major-specific rankings, including this “Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k” list to help you make the college decision.

We’ve created a tool called College Combat that lets you create your own customized comparisons based on the factors that matter the most to you. If you’re torn between two schools, you can use it to help you see how they stack up against one another. Bookmark it so you can compare any new schools that might interest you.

Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k.

Top 16 Best Value Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Chemical Engineering (Income $0-$30k) in the Southwest Region

#1

Rice University

Houston, Texas
#1 in overall quality

Out of the 16 schools in the Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Rice University landed the #1 spot on the list. Houston, Texas is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s chem eng degrees to 36 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our southwest region bachelor’s degree chem eng students whose families make $0-$30k list, Rice has also earned the #1 rank in our “Best Chemical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Rice University is $3,437 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Chem Eng students whose families make $0-$30k.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Rice Chemical Engineering Report

#3 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Texas A&M University - College Station. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k. College Station, Texas is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s chem eng degrees to 221 students in 2019-2020.

Texas A&M College Station also took the #3 spot in our “Best Chemical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for Texas A&M College Station is $11,454 for southwest region bachelor’s degree chem eng students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full Texas A&M College Station Chemical Engineering Report

#2 in overall quality

Out of the 16 schools in the Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, The University of Texas at Austin landed the #3 spot on the list. Located in Austin, Texas, this large public school handed out 180 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s chem eng students in 2019-2020.

UT Austin not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best Chemical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. It costs about $12,203 for southwest region bachelor’s degree chem eng students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend The University of Texas at Austin.

The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%.

Read more about Chemical Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin

#7 in overall quality

Out of the 16 schools in the Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Oklahoma State University - Main Campus landed the #4 spot on the list. OSU is a public institution located in Stillwater, Oklahoma. The school has a large population, and it awarded 62 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

OSU not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Chemical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. It costs about $8,669 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Chem Eng students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend OSU.

With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Read more about Chemical Engineering at OSU

#5

Texas Tech University

Lubbock, Texas
#5 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Texas Tech University. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Texas Tech University is a large school located in Lubbock, Texas that handed out 98 bachelors’s chem eng degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Texas Tech, the school also landed the #5 spot in our “Best Chemical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. It costs about $12,317 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Chem Eng students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Texas Tech University.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 87%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Chemical Engineering at Texas Tech

#8 in overall quality

With a ranking of #6, Arizona State University - Tempe did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. ASU - Tempe is a public institution located in Tempe, Arizona. The school has a large population, and it awarded 164 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

ASU - Tempe not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Chemical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. It costs about $7,044 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Chem Eng students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend ASU - Tempe.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.

Read full report on Chemical Engineering at Arizona State University - Tempe

#7

Lamar University

Beaumont, Texas
#10 in overall quality

Lamar University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #7. Located in Beaumont, Texas, this fairly large public school handed out 47 degrees to qualified bachelors’s chem eng students in 2019-2020.

Lamar University did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Chemical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The yearly cost to attend Lamar University is $9,200 for southwest region bachelor’s degree chem eng students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Chemical Engineering at Lamar University

#8

University of Arizona

Tucson, Arizona
#11 in overall quality

University of Arizona came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Tucson, Arizona is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s chem eng degrees to 71 students in 2019-2020.

University of Arizona also made our “Best Chemical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #11. The estimated yearly cost for University of Arizona is $10,562 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Chem Eng students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%.

Read full report on Chemical Engineering at University of Arizona

#9

University of Houston

Houston, Texas
#6 in overall quality

University of Houston landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of Houston is a public institution located in Houston, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 81 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

UH did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best Chemical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. It costs about $10,203 for southwest region bachelor’s degree chem eng students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UH.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full UH Chemical Engineering Report

#12 in overall quality

With a ranking of #10, New Mexico State University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Las Cruces, New Mexico is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s chem eng degrees to 38 students in 2019-2020.

NMSU Main Campus not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #12 on our “Best Chemical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for NMSU Main Campus is $6,896 for southwest region bachelor’s degree chem eng students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read full report on Chemical Engineering at New Mexico State University - Main Campus

#14 in overall quality

New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology landed the #11 spot on the 2022 Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology is a small public school situated in Socorro, New Mexico. It awarded 20 bachelors’s chem eng degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at New Mexico Tech, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best Chemical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. It costs about $10,924 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Chem Eng students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology.

With a student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Chemical Engineering at New Mexico Tech

#15 in overall quality

Texas A&M University - Kingsville did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #12. This medium-sized school is located in Kingsville, Texas, and it awarded 68 bachelors’s chem eng degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Texas A&M Kingsville, the school also landed the #15 spot in our “Best Chemical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Texas A&M University - Kingsville is $11,105 for southwest region bachelor’s degree chem eng students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Chemical Engineering at Texas A&M University - Kingsville

#13

Prairie View A & M University

Prairie View, Texas
#13 in overall quality

With a ranking of #13, Prairie View A & M University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. Prairie View A & M University is a medium-sized public school situated in Prairie View, Texas. It awarded 58 bachelors’s chem eng degrees in 2019-2020.

PVAMU did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #13 on our “Best Chemical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list. The estimated yearly cost for PVAMU is $12,291 for southwest region bachelor’s degree chem eng students whose families make $0-$30k.

Full PVAMU Chemical Engineering Report

#9 in overall quality

University of Oklahoma Norman Campus landed the #14 spot on the 2022 Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of Oklahoma Norman Campus is a large public school situated in Norman, Oklahoma. It awarded 93 bachelors’s chem eng degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at University of Oklahoma, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best Chemical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Oklahoma is $16,675 for southwest region bachelor’s degree chem eng students whose families make $0-$30k.

The student loan default rate at the school is 4.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its students.

Full University of Oklahoma Norman Campus Chemical Engineering Report

#15

University of Tulsa

Tulsa, Oklahoma
#4 in overall quality

University of Tulsa ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Tulsa is a private not-for-profit institution located in Tulsa, Oklahoma. The school has a small population, and it awarded 33 bachelors’s degrees in 2019-2020.

University of Tulsa also took the #4 spot in our “Best Chemical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” ranking. It costs about $14,391 for southwest region bachelor’s degree chem eng students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of Tulsa.

The impressive student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an impressive student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Chemical Engineering at University of Tulsa

#16

University of New Mexico - Main Campus

Albuquerque, New Mexico
#16 in overall quality

University of New Mexico - Main Campus landed the #16 spot on the 2022 Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Bachelor’s in the Southwest Region For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of New Mexico - Main Campus is a large school located in Albuquerque, New Mexico that handed out 47 bachelors’s chem eng degrees in 2019-2020.

UNM also made our “Best Chemical Engineering Bachelor’s Degree Schools in the Southwest Region” list, coming in at #16. The yearly cost to attend UNM is $13,242 for Southwest Region Bachelor’s Degree Chem Eng students whose families make $0-$30k.

Read more about Chemical Engineering at University of New Mexico - Main Campus

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Notes and References

References

  • The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) serves as the core of our data about colleges.
  • Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
  • Information about the national average student loan default rate is from the U.S. Department of Education and refers to data about the 2016 borrower cohort tracking period for which the cohort default rate (CDR) was 10.1%.

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

  • *Average salary, average net price, and average tuition and fees are for the top schools only.
  • Some schools otherwise deserving of recognition may have been removed from this ranking in the event that new data identified post-publication warranted it, or at the request of the school.

Credits

  • Credit for the banner image above goes to Mikulova.

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