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2023 Most Popular Colleges for Chemical Engineering

199 Ranked Colleges
12,690 Degrees Awarded
$34,800 Avg Cost*
Most Well Attended 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 has developed its “Most Well Attended Chem Eng Major” ranking as one item you can use to help make this decision.

Chemical Engineering is the 64th most popular major in the country with 12,690 degrees awarded in 2020-2021.

This year’s “Most Well Attended Chem Eng Major” ranking analyzed 199 colleges that offered a degree in chemical engineering. This ranking identifies schools that graduate the most students in chemical engineering.

Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

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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 “Most Well Attended Chem Eng Major”.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. 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.

Most Well Attended Chem Eng Major

The colleges and universities below are the best for chem eng students.

1

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 #1 for the Most Well Attended Chem Eng Major. Texas A&M University - College Station is a public institution located in College Station, Texas. The school has a large population, and it awarded 276 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.2% 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 more about Chemical Engineering at Texas A&M College Station

2

Out of the 199 schools in the Most Well Attended Chem Eng Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus landed the #2 spot on the list. Georgia Tech is a large public school situated in Atlanta, Georgia. It awarded 241 ’s chem eng degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Georgia Tech Chemical Engineering Report

3
Purdue crest
Purdue University - Main Campus
West Lafayette, Indiana

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Purdue University - Main Campus. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Most Well Attended Chem Eng Major list. Located in West Lafayette, Indiana, this large public school awarded 237 diplomas to qualified ’s chem eng students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Chemical Engineering at Purdue

4
NC State crest
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, North Carolina

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend North Carolina State University. The school came in at #4 for the Most Well Attended Chem Eng Major. NC State is a large school located in Raleigh, North Carolina that handed out 218 ’s chem eng degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.0% 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

Read full report on Chemical Engineering at NC State

5

Out of the 199 schools in the Most Well Attended Chem Eng Major that were part of this year’s ranking, The University of Texas at Austin landed the #5 spot on the list. UT Austin is a large public school situated in Austin, Texas. It awarded 203 ’s chem eng degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full The University of Texas at Austin Chemical Engineering Report

6

Ohio State University - Main Campus ranked #6 on this year’s Most Well Attended Chem Eng Major list. Ohio State is a large school located in Columbus, Ohio that handed out 200 ’s chem eng degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.6% 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 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full Ohio State University - Main Campus Chemical Engineering Report

7

With a ranking of #7, Arizona State University - Tempe did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Chem Eng Major list. This large school is located in Tempe, Arizona, and it awarded 192 ’s chem eng degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.5%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Chemical Engineering at ASU - Tempe

8

With a ranking of #8, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Chem Eng Major list. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a public institution located in Champaign, Illinois. The school has a large population, and it awarded 181 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Chemical Engineering at UIUC

9

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor ranked #9 on this year’s Most Well Attended Chem Eng Major list. Ann Arbor, Michigan is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s chem eng degrees to 177 students in 2020-2021.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Chemical Engineering at U-M

10

University of California - Berkeley landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Chem Eng Major ranking. University of California - Berkeley is a large school located in Berkeley, California that handed out 175 ’s chem eng degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.8% 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 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Chemical Engineering at University of California - Berkeley

11
Northeastern crest
Northeastern University
Boston, Massachusetts

Northeastern University came in at #11 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Chem Eng Major ranking. Northeastern is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Boston, Massachusetts. It awarded 172 ’s chem eng degrees in 2020-2021.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%.

Full Northeastern Chemical Engineering Report

12
UA crest
The University of Alabama
Tuscaloosa, Alabama

The University of Alabama ranked #12 on this year’s Most Well Attended Chem Eng Major list. UA is located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 171 ’s chem eng degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 4.0%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 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 The University of Alabama

13

University of South Florida - Main Campus did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Chem Eng Major ranking, coming in at #13. USF Tampa is a public institution located in Tampa, Florida. The school has a large population, and it awarded 157 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.3%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Chemical Engineering at USF Tampa

14
Mines crest
Colorado School of Mines
Golden, Colorado

With a ranking of #14, Colorado School of Mines did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Chem Eng Major list. Mines is a medium-sized public school situated in Golden, Colorado. It awarded 154 ’s chem eng degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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 Mines

15

With a ranking of #15, Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Chem Eng Major list. Located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, this large public school awarded 147 diplomas to qualified ’s chem eng students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.0%, 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 86%.

Read full report on Chemical Engineering at Louisiana State University

16
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida

University of Florida landed the #16 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Chem Eng Major ranking. UF is located in Gainesville, Florida and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 144 ’s chem eng degrees to qualified students.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on Chemical Engineering at University of Florida

17
Oregon State crest
Oregon State University
Corvallis, Oregon

With a ranking of #17, Oregon State University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Chem Eng Major list. This large school is located in Corvallis, Oregon, and it awarded 140 ’s chem eng degrees in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 85%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on Chemical Engineering at Oregon State

18

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Chem Eng Major ranking, coming in at #18. Located in Minneapolis, Minnesota, this large public school handed out 137 degrees to qualified ’s chem eng students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Full UMN Twin Cities Chemical Engineering Report

19

With a ranking of #19, Iowa State University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Chem Eng Major list. Iowa State is located in Ames, Iowa and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 136 ’s chem eng degrees to qualified students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.4% 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 Iowa State

19
Johns Hopkins crest
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, Maryland

With a ranking of #19, Johns Hopkins University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Chem Eng Major list. Johns Hopkins University is a large private not-for-profit school situated in Baltimore, Maryland. It awarded 136 ’s chem eng degrees in 2020-2021.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.3% 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 Johns Hopkins University

21
Cornell crest
Cornell University
Ithaca, New York

Cornell University came in at #21 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Chem Eng Major ranking. Located in Ithaca, New York, this large private not-for-profit school handed out 131 diplomas to qualified ’s chem eng students in 2020-2021.

The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.9% 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 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Chemical Engineering at Cornell University

22

University of California - San Diego ranked #22 on this year’s Most Well Attended Chem Eng Major list. University of California - San Diego is located in La Jolla, California and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 130 ’s chem eng degrees to qualified students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. 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%.

Full University of California - San Diego Chemical Engineering Report

23
Carnegie Mellon crest
Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

With a ranking of #23, Carnegie Mellon University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Chem Eng Major list. Carnegie Mellon University is a fairly large school located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania that handed out 126 ’s chem eng degrees in 2020-2021.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full Carnegie Mellon University Chemical Engineering Report

24

University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Most Well Attended Chem Eng Major ranking. Pitt is a public institution located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The school has a large population, and it awarded 124 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.9% 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 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on Chemical Engineering at Pitt

25

With a ranking of #25, University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Chem Eng Major list. Mayaguez, is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s chem eng degrees to 122 students in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.4%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Chemical Engineering at UPR Mayaguez

Rest of the Best 31 in Most Well Attended Chem Eng Major

Not only did these schools make the top 31 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

26
26
26
Drexel crest
Drexel University
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
29
30
30

Notes and References

References

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