2026 Best Value Chemical Engineering Schools in Louisiana

[Chemical Engineering](/majors/engineering/chemical-engineering/chemical-engineering/) degree programs vary widely in price and payoff across the country. A high-value program keeps cost low while graduates go on to earn well.
College Factual analyzed 5 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the best value chemical engineering schools.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Chemical Engineering Schools in Louisiana
Below are the schools that deliver the strongest value in chemical engineering, balancing cost against outcomes.
Best Value Chemical Engineering Schools
Our analysis ranked Mcneese State University the best value for a degree in chemical engineering in Louisiana. Located in the city of Lake Charles, Mcneese State University is a moderately-sized public university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $8,489, compared with $9,989 for out-of-state students. Students borrow a median of $24,433 to complete the chemical engineering program here. Chemical Engineering graduates of Mcneese State University earn a median of $46,529 early in their careers. Set against $24,433 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Mcneese State University admits about 78% of applicants.
Louisiana Tech University is a great value for students pursuing a degree in chemical engineering, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the town of Ruston, Louisiana Tech University is a large public institution. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $10,125, compared with $16,866 for out-of-state students. Typical student debt for chemical engineering graduates is $18,342. Chemical Engineering graduates of Louisiana Tech University earn a median of $79,157 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $18,342 median debt. Roughly 86% of applicants are accepted.
University Of Louisiana Lafayette is a great value for students pursuing a degree in chemical engineering, landing the #3 spot this year. Set in the city of Lafayette, University Of Louisiana Lafayette is a large public institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $10,418, while out-of-state students pay about $24,146. Typical student debt for chemical engineering graduates is $22,000. Chemical Engineering graduates of University Of Louisiana Lafayette earn a median of $63,886 early in their careers. Set against $22,000 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 87% of applicants are accepted.
Louisiana State University And Agricultural And Mechanical College is a great value for students pursuing a degree in chemical engineering, landing the #4 spot this year. Louisiana State University And Agricultural And Mechanical College is a very large public school located in the city of Baton Rouge. In-state tuition and fees average $11,954, compared with $28,631 for out-of-state students. Chemical Engineering graduates carry a median of $20,500 in student loans. Chemical Engineering graduates of Louisiana State University And Agricultural And Mechanical College earn a median of $74,786 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Louisiana State University And Agricultural And Mechanical College admits about 73% of applicants.
A rank of #5 makes Tulane University Of Louisiana one of the best values for chemical engineering. Tulane University Of Louisiana is a large private not-for-profit school located in the city of New Orleans. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $68,678. Typical student debt for chemical engineering graduates is $22,077. Soon after graduation, chemical engineering degree recipients from Tulane University Of Louisiana generally make around $54,082. Set against $22,077 in median debt, that is a healthy payoff. Roughly 14% of applicants are accepted.
More Chemical Engineering Rankings
View All Chemical Engineering Rankings >
Notes and References
This list is compiled by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 5 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 5 ranked schools only.
- 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).
More about our data sources and methodologies.