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2023 Most Focused Doctor’s Degree Colleges for Chemical Engineering

117 Ranked Colleges
1,087 Degrees Awarded
$112,828 Avg Salary
Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Chem Eng Major

Students have lots of options to chooose from today when trying to decide which college to attend. 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 Doctorate Highly Focused on Chem Eng Major” ranking is part of that endeavor.

Chemical Engineering is the 70th most popular major in the country with 12,917 degrees awarded in 2020-2021. In 2019-2020, chemical engineering graduates who were awarded their degree in 2017-2019, earned an average of $65,870 and had an average of $23,285 in loans still to pay off.

At the doctor’s degree level specifically, there were 1,087 chemical engineering graduates with average earnings and debt of $75,260 and $0 respectively.

For this year’s “Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Chem Eng Major” ranking, we looked at 117 colleges that offer a degree in chemical engineering. The colleges and universities that top this list are recognized because their chemical engineering program is one of the largest majors offered at the school.

Check out our ranking methodology for more information.

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Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Chem Eng Major” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

You can create your own custom comparison that focuses on the factors most important to you using our tool, College Combat. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Chem Eng Major

The following schools top our list of the Best “Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Chem Eng Major”.

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

1

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend California Institute of Technology. The school came in at #1 for the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Chem Eng Major. Located in Pasadena, California, this small private not-for-profit school awarded 9 degrees to qualified doctorate’s chem eng students in 2020-2021.

Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. 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 Caltech

2
MIT crest
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, Massachusetts

Out of the 117 schools in the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Chem Eng Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Massachusetts Institute of Technology landed the #2 spot on the list. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, this fairly large private not-for-profit school awarded 31 degrees to qualified doctorate’s chem eng students in 2020-2021.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.3%, 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 98%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full Massachusetts Institute of Technology Chemical Engineering Report

3
Stanford crest
Stanford University
Stanford, California

Out of the 117 schools in the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Chem Eng Major that were part of this year’s ranking, Stanford University landed the #3 spot on the list. Located in Stanford, California, this fairly large private not-for-profit school handed out 28 degrees to qualified doctorate’s chem eng students in 2020-2021.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.5%, which is much lower than the national 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.

Full Stanford University Chemical Engineering Report

4

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. It ranked #4 on our 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Chem Eng Major list. RPI is located in Troy, New York and, has a medium-sized student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 12 doctorate’s chem eng degrees to qualified students.

With a freshman retention rate of 91%, 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 RPI

5

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Missouri University of Science and Technology. It ranked #5 on our 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Chem Eng Major list. Located in Rolla, Missouri, this medium-sized public school handed out 12 diplomas to qualified doctorate’s chem eng students in 2020-2021.

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 low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.7% 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 Missouri University of Science and Technology

6
Princeton crest
Princeton University
Princeton, New Jersey

Princeton University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Chem Eng Major ranking, coming in at #6. Located in Princeton, New Jersey, this medium-sized private not-for-profit school handed out 10 diplomas to qualified doctorate’s chem eng students in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.7% 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 undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read more about Chemical Engineering at Princeton

7
Rice crest
Rice University
Houston, Texas

Rice University ranked #7 on this year’s Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Chem Eng Major list. Rice is a medium-sized school located in Houston, Texas that handed out 12 doctorate’s chem eng degrees in 2020-2021.

The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 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 97%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.2%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Chemical Engineering at Rice University

8

Michigan Technological University came in at #8 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Chem Eng Major ranking. Houghton, Michigan is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The public school handed out doctorate’s chem eng degrees to 8 students 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 86%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about Chemical Engineering at Michigan Tech

9

Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Chem Eng Major ranking. Atlanta, Georgia is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out doctorate’s chem eng degrees to 40 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 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read more about Chemical Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus

10
Clarkson crest
Clarkson University
Potsdam, New York

Clarkson University did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Chem Eng Major ranking, coming in at #10. Clarkson University is located in Potsdam, New York and, has a small student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 5 doctorate’s chem eng degrees to qualified students.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 87%. 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%.

Full Clarkson Chemical Engineering Report

11

South Dakota School of Mines and Technology ranked #11 on this year’s Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Chem Eng Major list. South Dakota School of Mines and Technology is a small school located in Rapid City, South Dakota that handed out 2 doctorate’s chem eng degrees 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%.

Full South Dakota School of Mines and Technology Chemical Engineering Report

12

University of Akron Main Campus came in at #12 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Chem Eng Major ranking. University of Akron Main Campus is a fairly large school located in Akron, Ohio that handed out 15 doctorate’s chem eng degrees in 2020-2021.

Read full report on Chemical Engineering at University of Akron Main Campus

13
Carnegie Mellon crest
Carnegie Mellon University
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

With a ranking of #13, Carnegie Mellon University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Chem Eng Major list. Carnegie Mellon University is located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 19 doctorate’s chem eng degrees to qualified students.

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

Full Carnegie Mellon Chemical Engineering Report

14
UD crest
University of Delaware
Newark, Delaware

University of Delaware did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Chem Eng Major ranking, coming in at #14. UD is located in Newark, Delaware and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 19 doctorate’s chem eng degrees to qualified students.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.1% 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%. With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Chemical Engineering at UD

15
UChicago crest
University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

University of Chicago ranked #15 on this year’s Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Chem Eng Major list. University of Chicago is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Chicago, Illinois. It awarded 20 doctorate’s chem eng degrees in 2020-2021.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 100%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.0%, 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 5 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Full UChicago Chemical Engineering Report

16
Lehigh crest
Lehigh University
Bethlehem, Pennsylvania

Lehigh University came in at #16 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Chem Eng Major ranking. Bethlehem, Pennsylvania is the setting for this medium-sized institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out doctorate’s chem eng degrees to 6 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. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. 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%.

Full Lehigh Chemical Engineering Report

17

University of Colorado Boulder ranked #17 on this year’s Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Chem Eng Major list. This large school is located in Boulder, Colorado, and it awarded 26 doctorate’s chem eng degrees 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%. 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 University of Colorado Boulder

18
University of Tulsa crest
University of Tulsa
Tulsa, Oklahoma

University of Tulsa ranked #18 on this year’s Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Chem Eng Major list. This small school is located in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and it awarded 3 doctorate’s chem eng degrees in 2020-2021.

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%. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 10 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one.

Full University of Tulsa Chemical Engineering Report

19
NC State crest
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, North Carolina

With a ranking of #19, North Carolina State University did quite well on the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Chem Eng Major list. Located in Raleigh, North Carolina, this large public school handed out 27 degrees to qualified doctorate’s chem eng students in 2020-2021.

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 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%.

Read more about Chemical Engineering at NC State

20
UW crest
University of Wyoming
Laramie, Wyoming

University of Wyoming ranked #20 on this year’s Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Chem Eng Major list. University of Wyoming is a fairly large school located in Laramie, Wyoming that handed out 8 doctorate’s chem eng degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.5% 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%.

Read full report on Chemical Engineering at University of Wyoming

21
Mines crest
Colorado School of Mines
Golden, Colorado

Colorado School of Mines did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Chem Eng Major ranking, coming in at #21. Colorado School of Mines is a medium-sized public school situated in Golden, Colorado. It awarded 4 doctorate’s chem eng degrees in 2020-2021.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.7% 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 92%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read more about Chemical Engineering at Colorado School of Mines

22

New Jersey Institute of Technology ranked #22 on this year’s Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Chem Eng Major list. Located in Newark, New Jersey, this fairly large public school handed out 7 diplomas to qualified doctorate’s chem eng students in 2020-2021.

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%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 89%.

Read full report on Chemical Engineering at NJIT

23
Cornell crest
Cornell University
Ithaca, New York

Cornell University ranked #23 on this year’s Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Chem Eng Major list. Cornell is located in Ithaca, New York and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 16 doctorate’s chem eng degrees to qualified students.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 96%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about Chemical Engineering at Cornell University

24
Johns Hopkins crest
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, Maryland

Johns Hopkins University came in at #24 in this year’s edition of the Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Chem Eng Major ranking. Baltimore, Maryland is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The private not-for-profit school handed out doctorate’s chem eng degrees to 21 students in 2020-2021.

With a freshman retention rate of 97%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1 is a sign that students will have more opportunities to engage with their professors one-on-one. 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

25

University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez did quite well in the 2023 Schools for a Doctorate Highly Focused on Chem Eng Major ranking, coming in at #25. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez is located in Mayaguez, and, has a fairly large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 4 doctorate’s chem eng degrees to qualified students.

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 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%.

Full University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez Chemical Engineering Report

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