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2022 Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k

132 Ranked Colleges
1,642 Degrees Awarded
$42,700 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees*
Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Master's For Those Making $0-$30k

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking is part of that endeavor.

In 2019-2020, 13,610 people earned their degree in chemical engineering, making the major the 66th most popular in the United States. In 2017-2018, chemical engineering graduates who were awarded their degree in 2015-2017, earned an average of $62,963 and had an average of $22,564 in loans still to pay off.

At the master’s degree level specifically, there were 1,642 chemical engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $56,398 and $43,194 respectively.

This year’s “Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking looked at 132 colleges that offer degrees in a bachelor’s 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. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

One Size Does Not Fit All

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 “Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k”.

To further help you make the college decision, we’ve developed a unique tool called College Combat that allows you to compare schools based on the factors that matter the most to you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don’t forget it.

Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k

The colleges and universities below are the best for master’s degree chem eng students whose families make $0-$30k.

Top 25 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Chemical Engineering (Income $0-$30k)

#1

Stanford University

Stanford, California
#2 in overall quality

Out of the 132 schools in the Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Stanford University landed the #1 spot on the list. Stanford University is a fairly large school located in Stanford, California that handed out 22 masters’s chem eng degrees in 2019-2020.

Stanford also took the #2 spot in our “Best Chemical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Stanford University are $55,011.

Full Stanford University Chemical Engineering Report

#2

University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
#7 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Pennsylvania. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k. UPenn is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 32 masters’s chem eng degrees to qualified students.

UPenn did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best Chemical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Pennsylvania are $41,760, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Chemical Engineering at UPenn

#3

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois
#11 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Northwestern University. The school came in at #3 for the Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k. Northwestern is located in Evanston, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 9 masters’s chem eng degrees to qualified students.

Northwestern did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #11 on our “Best Chemical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Northwestern University are $56,567, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Chemical Engineering at Northwestern University

#4

Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, Missouri

Out of the 132 schools in the Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Washington University in St Louis landed the #4 spot on the list. Washington University in St Louis is located in Saint Louis, Missouri and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 29 masters’s chem eng degrees to qualified students.

WUSTL did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #10 on our “Best Chemical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Washington University in St Louis are $56,562, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full Washington University in St Louis Chemical Engineering Report

#5

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, Massachusetts
#1 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Massachusetts Institute of Technology. It ranked #5 on our 2022 Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. MIT is a private not-for-profit institution located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 20 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

MIT not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #1 on our “Best Chemical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Massachusetts Institute of Technology are $56,719.

Read more about Chemical Engineering at Massachusetts Institute of Technology

#6

Princeton University

Princeton, New Jersey
#9 in overall quality

Princeton University came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Princeton University is a private not-for-profit institution located in Princeton, New Jersey. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 12 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Princeton not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #9 on our “Best Chemical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Princeton University are $56,470.

Read full report on Chemical Engineering at Princeton University

#7

California Institute of Technology

Pasadena, California

With a ranking of #7, California Institute of Technology did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. California Institute of Technology is located in Pasadena, California and, has a small student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 1 masters’s chem eng degrees to qualified students.

Caltech not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #0 on our “Best Chemical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Caltech are $56,649, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full California Institute of Technology Chemical Engineering Report

#8

Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, Maryland

Johns Hopkins University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #8. This large school is located in Baltimore, Maryland, and it awarded 62 masters’s chem eng degrees in 2019-2020.

Johns Hopkins also made our “Best Chemical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #4. Average graduate tuition and fees at Johns Hopkins University are $59,425, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Chemical Engineering at Johns Hopkins

#5 in overall quality

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #9. Ann Arbor, Michigan is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s chem eng degrees to 38 students in 2019-2020.

U-M did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Chemical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at U-M are $49,548.

Read more about Chemical Engineering at U-M

#10

University of Florida

Gainesville, Florida
#23 in overall quality

University of Florida landed the #10 spot on the 2022 Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Gainesville, Florida, this large public school handed out 36 diplomas to qualified masters’s chem eng students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our master’s degree chem eng students whose families make $0-$30k list, UF has also earned the #23 rank in our “Best Chemical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Florida are $30,130, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Chemical Engineering at UF

#11

Vanderbilt University

Nashville, Tennessee
#21 in overall quality

Vanderbilt University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #11. This fairly large school is located in Nashville, Tennessee, and it awarded 2 masters’s chem eng degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Vanderbilt, the school also landed the #21 spot in our “Best Chemical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Vanderbilt University are $50,624.

Read full report on Chemical Engineering at Vanderbilt University

#12

Rice University

Houston, Texas
#16 in overall quality

Rice University landed the #12 spot on the 2022 Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Located in Houston, Texas, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 7 degrees to qualified masters’s chem eng students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our master’s degree chem eng students whose families make $0-$30k list, Rice has also earned the #16 rank in our “Best Chemical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Rice University are $47,913.

Full Rice Chemical Engineering Report

#13

Cornell University

Ithaca, New York

Cornell University ranked #13 on this year’s Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Ithaca, New York, and it awarded 61 masters’s chem eng degrees in 2019-2020.

Cornell not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #8 on our “Best Chemical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools” list. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Cornell University are $30,042.

Read more about Chemical Engineering at Cornell

Top 25% in overall quality

University of Wisconsin - Madison came in at #14 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of Wisconsin - Madison is a large public school situated in Madison, Wisconsin. It awarded 2 masters’s chem eng degrees in 2019-2020.

Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Wisconsin - Madison are $25,523, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full UW - Madison Chemical Engineering Report

#15

Purdue University - Main Campus

West Lafayette, Indiana
#13 in overall quality

With a ranking of #15, Purdue University - Main Campus did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Purdue is a large public school situated in West Lafayette, Indiana. It awarded 59 masters’s chem eng degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Purdue, the school also landed the #13 spot in our “Best Chemical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Purdue University - Main Campus are $28,794, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full Purdue University - Main Campus Chemical Engineering Report

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #16. UIUC is located in Champaign, Illinois and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 10 masters’s chem eng degrees to qualified students.

Average graduate tuition and fees at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign are $30,083, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Chemical Engineering at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

#25 in overall quality

University of Washington - Seattle Campus landed the #17 spot on the 2022 Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of Washington - Seattle Campus is a large public school situated in Seattle, Washington. It awarded 21 masters’s chem eng degrees in 2019-2020.

UW Seattle also took the #25 spot in our “Best Chemical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at UW Seattle are $30,294.

Read full report on Chemical Engineering at University of Washington - Seattle Campus

Columbia University in the City of New York ranked #18 on this year’s Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Columbia is a private not-for-profit institution located in New York, New York. The school has a large population, and it awarded 59 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Columbia not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #3 on our “Best Chemical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Columbia University in the City of New York are $51,194, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Chemical Engineering at Columbia

#19

North Carolina State University

Raleigh, North Carolina
#22 in overall quality

North Carolina State University landed the #19 spot on the 2022 Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. NC State is a large public school situated in Raleigh, North Carolina. It awarded 45 masters’s chem eng degrees in 2019-2020.

NC State also took the #22 spot in our “Best Chemical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at North Carolina State University are $28,999, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Chemical Engineering at North Carolina State University

#20

Tufts University

Medford, Massachusetts
#20 in overall quality

Tufts University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #20. Located in Medford, Massachusetts, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 3 degrees to qualified masters’s chem eng students in 2019-2020.

Tufts also took the #20 spot in our “Best Chemical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Tufts are $55,168.

Read more about Chemical Engineering at Tufts

#21

University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame, Indiana
#15 in overall quality

With a ranking of #21, University of Notre Dame did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Notre Dame is a fairly large school located in Notre Dame, Indiana that handed out 5 masters’s chem eng degrees in 2019-2020.

Notre Dame also made our “Best Chemical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #15. Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Notre Dame are $57,522.

Read more about Chemical Engineering at Notre Dame

#19 in overall quality

With a ranking of #22, Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k list. Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus is located in Atlanta, Georgia and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 17 masters’s chem eng degrees to qualified students.

Georgia Tech also made our “Best Chemical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #19. Average graduate tuition and fees at Georgia Tech are $31,334, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Chemical Engineering at Georgia Tech

#23

University of Maryland - College Park

College Park, Maryland

University of Maryland - College Park landed the #23 spot on the 2022 Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. College Park, Maryland is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s chem eng degrees to 6 students in 2019-2020.

Average graduate tuition and fees at UMCP are $30,885, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full UMCP Chemical Engineering Report

Michigan Technological University landed the #24 spot on the 2022 Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Michigan Tech is a public institution located in Houghton, Michigan. The school has a medium-sized population, and it awarded 7 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at Michigan Tech are $21,996.

Full Michigan Tech Chemical Engineering Report

University of California - Irvine landed the #25 spot on the 2022 Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Irvine, California is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s chem eng degrees to 16 students in 2019-2020.

Average graduate tuition and fees at UC Irvine are $28,456, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

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

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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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