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2022 Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k

132 Ranked Colleges
1,642 Degrees Awarded
$42,400 Avg Grad Tuition & Fees*
Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Master's For Those Making $30-$48k

When pursuing a degree in today’s world, students have many different options to choose from. Our mission at College Factual is to arm you with as much information as we can to help you make that decision. Our “Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking is one tool we have developed to help in this regard.

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.

For this year’s “Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k” ranking, we looked at 132 colleges that offer a degree in chemical engineering. The schools that top this list are recognized because they have great chemical engineering programs and cost less that 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. Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

More Ways to Rank Chemical Engineering Schools

Since the program you select can have a significant impact on your future, we’ve developed a number of rankings, including this “Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k” 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.

Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k.

Top 25 Best Value Master’s Degree Colleges for Chemical Engineering (Income $30-$48k)

#1

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Cambridge, Massachusetts
#1 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The school came in at #1 for the Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k. MIT is a fairly large school located in Cambridge, Massachusetts that handed out 20 masters’s chem eng 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. Average graduate tuition and fees at Massachusetts Institute of Technology are $56,719, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full MIT Chemical Engineering Report

#2

Stanford University

Stanford, California
#2 in overall quality

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend Stanford University. The school came in at #2 for the Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k. Stanford University is located in Stanford, California and, has a fairly large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 22 masters’s chem eng degrees to qualified students.

Stanford also made our “Best Chemical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #2. Average graduate tuition and fees at Stanford are $55,011, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full Stanford Chemical Engineering Report

#3

Northwestern University

Evanston, Illinois
#11 in overall quality

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Northwestern University. It ranked #3 on our 2022 Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. This large school is located in Evanston, Illinois, and it awarded 9 masters’s chem eng degrees in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Northwestern, the school also landed the #11 spot in our “Best Chemical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Northwestern University are $56,567, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Chemical Engineering at Northwestern University

#4

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 #4 for the Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k. This large school is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and it awarded 32 masters’s chem eng degrees in 2019-2020.

UPenn not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #7 on our “Best Chemical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at UPenn are $41,760, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full UPenn Chemical Engineering Report

#5

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 $30-$48k that were part of this year’s ranking, Washington University in St Louis landed the #5 spot on the list. Located in Saint Louis, Missouri, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 29 degrees to qualified masters’s chem eng students in 2019-2020.

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 you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full Washington University in St Louis Chemical Engineering Report

#6

Rice University

Houston, Texas
#16 in overall quality

Rice University landed the #6 spot on the 2022 Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Located in Houston, Texas, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 7 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 $30-$48k 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 are $47,913.

Read full report on Chemical Engineering at Rice

#7

Princeton University

Princeton, New Jersey
#9 in overall quality

Princeton University ranked #7 on this year’s Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Princeton is located in Princeton, New Jersey and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 12 masters’s chem eng degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our master’s degree chem eng students whose families make $30-$48k list, Princeton has also earned the #9 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 Princeton University are $56,470.

Read more about Chemical Engineering at Princeton University

Columbia University in the City of New York ranked #8 on this year’s Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. New York, New York is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s chem eng degrees to 59 students in 2019-2020.

Columbia did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #3 on our “Best Chemical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Columbia are $51,194, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read full report on Chemical Engineering at Columbia

#9

Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, Maryland

Johns Hopkins University landed the #9 spot on the 2022 Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Johns Hopkins University is located in Baltimore, Maryland and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 62 masters’s chem eng degrees to qualified students.

In addition to being on our master’s degree chem eng students whose families make $30-$48k list, Johns Hopkins has also earned the #4 rank in our “Best Chemical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Johns Hopkins are $59,425, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Chemical Engineering at Johns Hopkins University

#10

Cornell University

Ithaca, New York

Cornell University came in at #10 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Ithaca, New York is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s chem eng degrees to 61 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our master’s degree chem eng students whose families make $30-$48k list, Cornell has also earned the #8 rank in our “Best Chemical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Cornell University are $30,042, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full Cornell University Chemical Engineering Report

#11

University of Florida

Gainesville, Florida
#23 in overall quality

University of Florida ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Located in Gainesville, Florida, this large public school awarded 36 diplomas to qualified masters’s chem eng students in 2019-2020.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UF, the school also landed the #23 spot in our “Best Chemical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at UF are $30,130, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full University of Florida Chemical Engineering Report

#11

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor, Michigan
#5 in overall quality

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor ranked #11 on this year’s Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. U-M is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 38 masters’s chem eng degrees to qualified students.

U-M did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #5 on our “Best Chemical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at U-M are $49,548, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read more about Chemical Engineering at U-M

#13

Vanderbilt University

Nashville, Tennessee
#21 in overall quality

With a ranking of #13, Vanderbilt University did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. Nashville, Tennessee is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s chem eng degrees to 2 students in 2019-2020.

Vanderbilt did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #21 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 Vanderbilt University are $50,624.

Full Vanderbilt Chemical Engineering Report

#14

Purdue University - Main Campus

West Lafayette, Indiana
#13 in overall quality

Purdue University - Main Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #14. Located in West Lafayette, Indiana, this large public school awarded 59 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 $30-$48k list, Purdue has also earned the #13 rank in our “Best Chemical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools” ranking. Average graduate tuition and fees at Purdue are $28,794, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Read full report on Chemical Engineering at Purdue University - Main Campus

#15

Northeastern University

Boston, Massachusetts
#14 in overall quality

Northeastern University did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k 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 masters’s chem eng degrees to 46 students in 2019-2020.

In addition to being on our master’s degree chem eng students whose families make $30-$48k list, Northeastern has also earned the #14 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 Northeastern are $25,558.

Full Northeastern University Chemical Engineering Report

Top 25% in overall quality

University of Wisconsin - Madison came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. UW - Madison is located in Madison, Wisconsin and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 2 masters’s chem eng degrees to qualified students.

Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at University of Wisconsin - Madison are $25,523.

Read more about Chemical Engineering at University of Wisconsin - Madison

#17

University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame, Indiana
#15 in overall quality

University of Notre Dame landed the #17 spot on the 2022 Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. University of Notre Dame is a private not-for-profit institution located in Notre Dame, Indiana. The school has a fairly large population, and it awarded 5 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

Notre Dame also took the #15 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 University of Notre Dame are $57,522.

Read more about Chemical Engineering at Notre Dame

#18

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 $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #18. Medford, Massachusetts is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s chem eng degrees to 3 students in 2019-2020.

Tufts did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #20 on our “Best Chemical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Tufts are $55,168, but some majors have different tuition rates.

Full Tufts Chemical Engineering Report

#25 in overall quality

With a ranking of #19, University of Washington - Seattle Campus did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. University of Washington - Seattle Campus is located in Seattle, Washington and, has a large student population. In 2019-2020, this school awarded 21 masters’s chem eng degrees to qualified students.

UW Seattle not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #25 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 University of Washington - Seattle Campus are $30,294.

Full University of Washington - Seattle 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 $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #20. Champaign, Illinois is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out masters’s chem eng degrees to 10 students in 2019-2020.

Average graduate tuition and fees at UIUC are $30,083, but some majors have different tuition rates.

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

#21

North Carolina State University

Raleigh, North Carolina
#22 in overall quality

North Carolina State University ranked #21 on this year’s Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. North Carolina State University is a public institution located in Raleigh, North Carolina. The school has a large population, and it awarded 45 masters’s degrees in 2019-2020.

NC State did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #22 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 NC State are $28,999.

Read more about Chemical Engineering at NC State

#22

University of Virginia - Main Campus

Charlottesville, Virginia
#24 in overall quality

University of Virginia - Main Campus did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #22. University of Virginia - Main Campus is a large school located in Charlottesville, Virginia that handed out 9 masters’s chem eng degrees in 2019-2020.

University of Virginia did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #24 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 University of Virginia - Main Campus are $32,394.

Read full report on Chemical Engineering at University of Virginia

#23

Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Carnegie Mellon University landed the #23 spot on the 2022 Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking. Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania is the setting for this fairly large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out masters’s chem eng degrees to 67 students in 2019-2020.

Carnegie Mellon not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #6 on our “Best Chemical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools” list. Average graduate tuition and fees at Carnegie Mellon are $47,326, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Read more about Chemical Engineering at Carnegie Mellon

#24

University of California - Berkeley

Berkeley, California

With a ranking of #24, University of California - Berkeley did quite well on the 2022 Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k list. This large school is located in Berkeley, California, and it awarded 40 masters’s chem eng degrees in 2019-2020.

UC Berkeley also made our “Best Chemical Engineering Master’s Degree Schools” list, coming in at #17. Average graduate tuition and fees at UC Berkeley are $29,347, but you may pay more or less depending on your major.

Full University of California - Berkeley Chemical Engineering Report

University of California - Irvine did quite well in the 2022 Best Value Chem Eng Schools for a Master’s For Those Making $30-$48k ranking, coming in at #25. Located in Irvine, California, this large public school awarded 16 degrees to qualified masters’s chem eng students in 2019-2020.

Although you might pay more or less depending on your area of study, average graduate tuition and fees at UC Irvine are $28,456.

Full University of California - Irvine Chemical Engineering Report

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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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