College Factual  by our College Data Analytics Team
       Unbiased Factual Guarantee

2023 Most Focused Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Chemical Engineering

175 Ranked Colleges
10,026 Degrees Awarded
$34,100 Avg Cost*
Schools for a Bachelor's Highly Focused on Chem Eng Major

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Chem Eng Major” ranking is part of that endeavor.

In 2020-2021, 12,690 people earned their degree in chemical engineering, making the major the 64th most popular in the United States.

At the bachelor’s degree level specifically, there were 10,026 chemical engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $39,682 and $26,217 respectively.

This year’s “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Chem Eng Major” ranking looked at 175 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in chemical engineering. That schools that top this list have a program in chemical engineering in which the largest percentage of students at the school are enrolled.

Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank Chemical Engineering Schools

Rankings by Degree Other Award Levels
Rankings by Location Check Out Other Locales
More Chem Eng Rankings Other Ranking Categories

The chem eng school you choose to invest your time and money in matters. To help you make the decision that is right for you, we’ve developed a number of major-specific rankings, including this list of “Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Chem Eng Major”.

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. We encourage you to try it out and pit your favorite colleges and universities head to head! If you don’t have time right now, you can bookmark it for later.

Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Chem Eng Major

The colleges and universities below are the best for bachelor’s degree chem eng students.

Top 25 Most Focused Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Chemical Engineering

1

Out of the 175 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Chem Eng Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art landed the #1 spot on the list. Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art is located in New York, New York and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 19 bachelors’s chem eng degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Full Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art Chemical Engineering Report

2
Mines crest
Colorado School of Mines
Golden, Colorado

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Colorado School of Mines. The school came in at #2 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Chem Eng Major. This medium-sized school is located in Golden, Colorado, and it awarded 144 bachelors’s chem eng degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Chemical Engineering at Colorado School of Mines

3

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Rose - Hulman Institute of Technology. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Chem Eng Major list. Rose - Hulman Institute of Technology is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Terre Haute, Indiana. It awarded 35 bachelors’s chem eng degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate 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 excellent freshman retention rate of 90%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Chemical Engineering at Rose - Hulman Institute of Technology

4

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. The school came in at #4 for the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Chem Eng Major. Located in Rapid City, South Dakota, this small public school handed out 31 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s chem eng students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Chemical Engineering at South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

5

Out of the 175 schools in the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Chem Eng Major that were part of this year’s ranking, University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez landed the #5 spot on the list. UPR Mayaguez is a fairly large school located in Mayaguez, that handed out 115 bachelors’s chem eng degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Chemical Engineering at UPR Mayaguez

6

Michigan Technological University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Chem Eng Major ranking. Michigan Tech is a medium-sized school located in Houghton, Michigan that handed out 103 bachelors’s chem eng degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 86%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Chemical Engineering at Michigan Tech

7

New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Chem Eng Major ranking, coming in at #7. New Mexico Tech is a small school located in Socorro, New Mexico that handed out 19 bachelors’s chem eng degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 8 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Read full report on Chemical Engineering at New Mexico Tech

8
Lafayette crest
Lafayette College
Easton, Pennsylvania

Lafayette College ranked #8 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Chem Eng Major list. Lafayette College is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Easton, Pennsylvania. It awarded 35 bachelors’s chem eng degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. With a freshman retention rate of 87%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Chemical Engineering at Lafayette

9

With a ranking of #9, West Virginia University Institute of Technology did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Chem Eng Major list. This small school is located in Beckley, West Virginia, and it awarded 10 bachelors’s chem eng degrees in 2020-2021.

Full West Virginia University Institute of Technology Chemical Engineering Report

10

Universidad Politecnica de Puerto Rico came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Chem Eng Major ranking. Universidad Politecnica de Puerto Rico is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Hato Rey, . It awarded 29 bachelors’s chem eng degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Chemical Engineering at Universidad Politecnica de Puerto Rico

11

Missouri University of Science and Technology ranked #11 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Chem Eng Major list. Missouri University of Science and Technology is a medium-sized public school situated in Rolla, Missouri. It awarded 103 bachelors’s chem eng degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 85%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Chemical Engineering at Missouri University of Science and Technology

12
Tuskegee crest
Tuskegee University
Tuskegee, Alabama

Tuskegee University came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Chem Eng Major ranking. Located in Tuskegee, Alabama, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 28 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s chem eng students in 2020-2021.

Read more about Chemical Engineering at Tuskegee University

13
Pitt Johnstown crest
University of Pittsburgh - Johnstown
Johnstown, Pennsylvania

University of Pittsburgh - Johnstown did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Chem Eng Major ranking, coming in at #13. University of Pittsburgh - Johnstown is a public institution located in Johnstown, Pennsylvania. The school has a small population, and it awarded 20 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Chemical Engineering at University of Pittsburgh - Johnstown

14
Trine crest
Trine University
Angola, Indiana

Trine University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Chem Eng Major ranking, coming in at #14. Located in Angola, Indiana, this small private not-for-profit school handed out 21 degrees to qualified bachelors’s chem eng students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Chemical Engineering at Trine

15
Kettering crest
Kettering University
Flint, Michigan

Kettering University came in at #15 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Chem Eng Major ranking. Kettering is a small school located in Flint, Michigan that handed out 23 bachelors’s chem eng degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.2%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Kettering University Chemical Engineering Report

16
WPI crest
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
Worcester, Massachusetts

Worcester Polytechnic Institute did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Chem Eng Major ranking, coming in at #16. WPI is a medium-sized school located in Worcester, Massachusetts that handed out 71 bachelors’s chem eng degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%.

Read more about Chemical Engineering at WPI

17
Clarkson crest
Clarkson University
Potsdam, New York

Clarkson University ranked #17 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Chem Eng Major list. Clarkson is a private not-for-profit institution located in Potsdam, New York. The school has a small population, and it awarded 42 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.9% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. 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 full report on Chemical Engineering at Clarkson University

18

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute ranked #18 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Chem Eng Major list. Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute is located in Troy, New York and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 74 bachelors’s chem eng degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 91%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Chemical Engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

19
PVAMU crest
Prairie View A & M University
Prairie View, Texas

Prairie View A & M University landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Chem Eng Major ranking. Prairie View A & M University is a medium-sized public school situated in Prairie View, Texas. It awarded 54 bachelors’s chem eng degrees in 2020-2021.

Full PVAMU Chemical Engineering Report

20
Bucknell crest
Bucknell University
Lewisburg, Pennsylvania

Bucknell University came in at #20 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Chem Eng Major ranking. This small school is located in Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 31 bachelors’s chem eng degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Full Bucknell University Chemical Engineering Report

21

New Jersey Institute of Technology ranked #21 on this year’s Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Chem Eng Major list. New Jersey Institute of Technology is located in Newark, New Jersey and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 80 bachelors’s chem eng degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Chemical Engineering at NJIT

22

With a ranking of #22, Tennessee Technological University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Chem Eng Major list. This medium-sized school is located in Cookeville, Tennessee, and it awarded 62 bachelors’s chem eng degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full Tennessee Tech University Chemical Engineering Report

23
MSU Bozeman crest
Montana State University
Bozeman, Montana

Montana State University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Chem Eng Major ranking, coming in at #23. Montana State University is a public institution located in Bozeman, Montana. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 86 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Chemical Engineering at MSU Bozeman

24
University of Tulsa crest
University of Tulsa
Tulsa, Oklahoma

University of Tulsa landed the #24 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Chem Eng Major ranking. University of Tulsa is located in Tulsa, Oklahoma and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 29 bachelors’s chem eng degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full University of Tulsa Chemical Engineering Report

25
Manhattan crest
Manhattan College
Riverdale, New York

With a ranking of #25, Manhattan College did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Chem Eng Major list. Manhattan College is a private not-for-profit institution located in Riverdale, New York. The school has a small population, and it awarded 26 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on Chemical Engineering at Manhattan College

Rest of the Best 27 in Schools for a Bachelor’s Highly Focused on Chem Eng Major

Not only did these schools make the top 27 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

26
27
Lehigh crest
Lehigh University
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

Notes and References

References

Read more about our data sources and methodologies

Footnotes

Credits

Popular Reports

College Rankings
Best by Location
Degree Guides by Major
Graduate Programs

Compare Your School Options