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2023 Most Popular Bachelor’s Degree Colleges for Chemical Engineering

175 Ranked Colleges
10,026 Degrees Awarded
$33,800 Avg Cost*
Most Well Attended Chem Eng Major for a Bachelor's

It’s not easy to decide which college to attend when there so many options available for students. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Most Well Attended Chem Eng Major for a Bachelor’s” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

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 “Most Well Attended Chem Eng Major for a Bachelor’s” ranking looked at 175 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s in chemical engineering. This ranking identifies schools that graduate the most students in chemical engineering.

For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

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Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Most Well Attended Chem Eng Major for a Bachelor’s” list, to help you choose the best school for you.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important 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.

Most Well Attended Chem Eng Major for a Bachelor’s

The following schools top our list of the Best “Most Well Attended Chem Eng Major for a Bachelor’s”.

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 for a Bachelor’s. Texas A&M College Station is a large public school situated in College Station, Texas. It awarded 232 bachelors’s chem eng degrees in 2020-2021.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%.

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

2

Out of the 175 schools in the Most Well Attended Chem Eng Major for a Bachelor’s 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 public institution located in Atlanta, Georgia. The school has a large population, and it awarded 185 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

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 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%.

Read full report on Chemical Engineering at Georgia Tech

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 for a Bachelor’s list. Purdue University - Main Campus is a large school located in West Lafayette, Indiana that handed out 165 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 school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Chemical Engineering at Purdue

4

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend The University of Texas at Austin. The school came in at #4 for the Most Well Attended Chem Eng Major for a Bachelor’s. Located in Austin, Texas, this large public school awarded 164 degrees to qualified bachelors’s chem eng students in 2020-2021.

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

Full UT Austin Chemical Engineering Report

5

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Ohio State University - Main Campus. The school came in at #5 for the Most Well Attended Chem Eng Major for a Bachelor’s. Columbus, Ohio is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s chem eng degrees to 163 students in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 94%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 3.6%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Chemical Engineering at Ohio State University - Main Campus

6
UA crest
The University of Alabama
Tuscaloosa, Alabama

The University of Alabama did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Chem Eng Major for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #6. This large school is located in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and it awarded 161 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 87%. 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%.

Read more about Chemical Engineering at UA

7

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign ranked #7 on this year’s Most Well Attended Chem Eng Major for a Bachelor’s list. Champaign, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out bachelors’s chem eng degrees to 156 students 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full UIUC Chemical Engineering Report

8

Arizona State University - Tempe ranked #8 on this year’s Most Well Attended Chem Eng Major for a Bachelor’s list. Arizona State University - Tempe is located in Tempe, Arizona and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 149 bachelors’s chem eng degrees to qualified students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 86%, 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 4.5%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

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

9

University of California - Berkeley ranked #9 on this year’s Most Well Attended Chem Eng Major for a Bachelor’s list. University of California - Berkeley is a large school located in Berkeley, California that handed out 146 bachelors’s chem eng degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, 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 1.8%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

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

10
Mines crest
Colorado School of Mines
Golden, Colorado

With a ranking of #10, Colorado School of Mines did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Chem Eng Major for a Bachelor’s list. Mines is located in Golden, Colorado and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 144 bachelors’s chem eng degrees to qualified 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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 92%.

Read more about Chemical Engineering at Mines

11

University of South Florida - Main Campus did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Chem Eng Major for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #11. This large school is located in Tampa, Florida, and it awarded 143 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 3.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Chemical Engineering at USF Tampa

12
NC State crest
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, North Carolina

North Carolina State University landed the #12 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Chem Eng Major for a Bachelor’s ranking. North Carolina State University is a large public school situated in Raleigh, North Carolina. It awarded 141 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 94%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Full NC State Chemical Engineering Report

13

Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College landed the #13 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Chem Eng Major for a Bachelor’s ranking. Located in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, this large public school handed out 130 degrees to qualified bachelors’s chem eng students in 2020-2021.

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

Read full report on Chemical Engineering at Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College

14

With a ranking of #14, Iowa State University did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Chem Eng Major for a Bachelor’s list. Located in Ames, Iowa, this large public school handed out 121 diplomas to qualified bachelors’s chem eng students in 2020-2021.

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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 89%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Iowa State Chemical Engineering Report

15
Northeastern crest
Northeastern University
Boston, Massachusetts

Northeastern University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Chem Eng Major for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #15. Boston, Massachusetts is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out bachelors’s chem eng degrees to 119 students in 2020-2021.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.5% 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 Northeastern Chemical Engineering Report

16

With a ranking of #16, University of Michigan - Ann Arbor did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Chem Eng Major for a Bachelor’s list. Located in Ann Arbor, Michigan, this large public school handed out 117 degrees to qualified bachelors’s chem eng students in 2020-2021.

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

17

University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez ranked #17 on this year’s Most Well Attended Chem Eng Major for a Bachelor’s list. UPR Mayaguez is a public institution located in Mayaguez, . The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 115 bachelors’s degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 4.4% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 92%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Chemical Engineering at University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez

17
Oregon State crest
Oregon State University
Corvallis, Oregon

Oregon State University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Chem Eng Major for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #17. Located in Corvallis, Oregon, this large public school handed out 115 degrees to qualified bachelors’s chem eng students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.8% 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%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full Oregon State Chemical Engineering Report

19

With a ranking of #19, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities did quite well on the 2023 Most Well Attended Chem Eng Major for a Bachelor’s list. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities is located in Minneapolis, Minnesota and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 108 bachelors’s chem eng degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Chemical Engineering at University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

20

Brigham Young University - Provo ranked #20 on this year’s Most Well Attended Chem Eng Major for a Bachelor’s list. Located in Provo, Utah, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 107 degrees to qualified bachelors’s chem eng students in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 92%, 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 more about Chemical Engineering at Brigham Young University - Provo

21

University of Cincinnati - Main Campus did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Chem Eng Major for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #21. Located in Cincinnati, Ohio, this large public school handed out 106 degrees to qualified bachelors’s chem eng students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 4.7%, 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 88%.

Read full report on Chemical Engineering at UC

22

Colorado State University - Fort Collins did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Chem Eng Major for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #22. Colorado State University - Fort Collins is a large school located in Fort Collins, Colorado that handed out 105 bachelors’s chem eng degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.6% 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%. 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 Colorado State

22
Michigan State crest
Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan

Michigan State University landed the #22 spot on the 2023 Most Well Attended Chem Eng Major for a Bachelor’s ranking. This large school is located in East Lansing, Michigan, and it awarded 105 bachelors’s chem eng degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.6%, 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 91%.

Read full report on Chemical Engineering at Michigan State University

22

University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Chem Eng Major for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #22. Located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, this large public school awarded 105 degrees to qualified bachelors’s chem eng students 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.

Full University of Pittsburgh - Pittsburgh Campus Chemical Engineering Report

25

Missouri University of Science and Technology did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Chem Eng Major for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #25. Missouri University of Science and Technology is located in Rolla, Missouri and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 103 bachelors’s chem eng degrees to qualified students.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 85%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 3.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Chemical Engineering at Missouri University of Science and Technology

25

Michigan Technological University did quite well in the 2023 Most Well Attended Chem Eng Major for a Bachelor’s ranking, coming in at #25. Located in Houghton, Michigan, this medium-sized public school handed out 103 degrees to qualified bachelors’s chem eng students in 2020-2021.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.9%, 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%.

Full Michigan Tech Chemical Engineering Report

Rest of the Best 26 in Most Well Attended Chem Eng Major for a Bachelor’s

Not only did these schools make the top 26 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

27
Mississippi State crest
Mississippi State University
Mississippi State, Mississippi

Notes and References

References

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