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2024 Best Chemical Engineering Schools

154 Colleges in the United States
12,917 Chem Eng Degrees Awarded
$65,870 Avg Early-Career Salary
Chemical Engineering is above average in terms of popularity with it being the #70 most popular degree program in the country. This means you won't have too much trouble finding schools that offer the degree.

College Factual reviewed 154 schools in the United States to determine which ones were the best for degree seekers in the field of chemical engineering. Combined, these schools handed out 12,917 degrees in chemical engineering to qualified students.

Jump to one of the following sections: * Degree-Level Rankings

Choosing a Great Chemical Engineering School

Best Chemical Engineering Schools Your choice of chemical engineering school matters, so we have put together these rankings to help you make your decision. In order to come up with a best overall ranking for chemical engineering schools, we combine our degree-level rankings, weighting them by the number of degrees awarded at each level.

You may want to choose one of the degree levels below to find the schools of most interest to you.

Pick Your Chemical Engineering Degree Level

Associate Degrees in Chem Eng
Bachelor's Degrees in Chem Eng
Master's Degrees in Chem Eng
Doctor's Degrees in Chem Eng

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 the Best Chemical Engineering Schools. You can also filter this list by location to find schools closer to you.

In addition to College Factual's rankings, you may want to take a look at College Combat, our unique tool that lets you pit your favorite schools head-to-head and compare how they rate on factors that most interest you. When you have some time, check it out - you may want to bookmark the link so you don't forget it.

More information on how we come up with our rankings can be found here: College Factual's Data Methodology.

Best Schools for Chemical Engineering in the United States

If you aren't interested in a particular degree level and want to know which schools are the overall best at delivering an education for the chem eng degrees they offer, see the list below. Only those schools that rank in the top 15% of all the schools we analyze get awarded with a place on this list.

23 Top Schools in Chem Eng

1
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
84 Chem Eng Degrees Awarded
$81,524 Median Starting Salary

It's difficult to beat Massachusetts Institute of Technology if you want to pursue a degree in chemical engineering. Located in the city of Cambridge, MIT is a private not-for-profit school with a large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #1 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means MIT is a great school overall.

There were approximately 84 chemical engineering students who graduated with this degree at MIT in the most recent year we have data available. Chemical Engineering degree recipients from Massachusetts Institute of Technology receive an earnings boost of about $15,654 above the average income of chemical engineering graduates.

More information about a degree in chemical engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology

2
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
177 Chem Eng Degrees Awarded
6.2% Growth in Graduates

It is difficult to beat University of Michigan - Ann Arbor if you wish to pursue a degree in chemical engineering. U-M is a fairly large public university located in the medium-sized city of Ann Arbor. This university ranks 1st out of 57 colleges for overall quality in the state of Michigan.

There were about 177 chemical engineering students who graduated with this degree at U-M in the most recent year we have data available. Those chemical engineering students who get their degree from University of Michigan - Ann Arbor earn $9,329 more than the typical chem eng graduate.

More information about a degree in chemical engineering from University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

3
Stanford crest
Stanford University
Stanford, CA
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
10th Most Popular In CA
65 Chem Eng Degrees Awarded

Stanford University is one of the best schools in the United States for getting a degree in chemical engineering. Stanford is a large private not-for-profit university located in the large suburb of Stanford. A Best Colleges rank of #3 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means Stanford is a great university overall.

There were approximately 65 chemical engineering students who graduated with this degree at Stanford in the most recent data year.

More information about a degree in chemical engineering from Stanford University

4
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
126 Chem Eng Degrees Awarded
$80,722 Median Starting Salary

Carnegie Mellon University is one of the best schools in the United States for getting a degree in chemical engineering. Located in the city of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon is a private not-for-profit university with a fairly large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #9 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means Carnegie Mellon is a great university overall.

There were about 126 chemical engineering students who graduated with this degree at Carnegie Mellon in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the chemical engineering major at Carnegie Mellon University get $14,852 more than the standard college grad with the same degree shortly after graduation.

More information about a degree in chemical engineering from Carnegie Mellon University

5
UPenn crest
University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PA
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
48 Chem Eng Degrees Awarded
$66,484 Median Starting Salary

Located in the city of Philadelphia, UPenn is a private not-for-profit university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #4 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means UPenn is a great university overall.

There were approximately 48 chemical engineering students who graduated with this degree at UPenn in the most recent year we have data available. Students who graduate with their degree from the chem eng program state that they receive average early career income of $66,484.

More information about a degree in chemical engineering from University of Pennsylvania

6
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
48 Chem Eng Degrees Awarded
$71,607 Median Starting Salary

Northwestern is a very large private not-for-profit university located in the city of Evanston. A Best Colleges rank of #5 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means Northwestern is a great university overall.

There were roughly 48 chemical engineering students who graduated with this degree at Northwestern in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the chemical engineering major at Northwestern University earn $5,737 above the average college grad in this field shortly after graduation.

More information about a degree in chemical engineering from Northwestern University

7
Rice crest
Rice University
Houston, TX
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
46 Chem Eng Degrees Awarded
$78,801 Median Starting Salary

Rice is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Houston. A Best Colleges rank of #16 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means Rice is a great university overall.

There were approximately 46 chemical engineering students who graduated with this degree at Rice in the most recent data year. Those chemical engineering students who get their degree from Rice University receive $12,931 more than the typical chem eng graduate.

More information about a degree in chemical engineering from Rice University

8
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
241 Chem Eng Degrees Awarded
3.7% Growth in Graduates

Located in the city of Atlanta, Georgia Tech is a public school with a fairly large student population. This school ranks 1st out of 68 schools for overall quality in the state of Georgia.

There were approximately 241 chemical engineering students who graduated with this degree at Georgia Tech in the most recent year we have data available. Chemical Engineering degree recipients from Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus get an earnings boost of around $9,690 over the typical earnings of chemical engineering majors.

More information about a degree in chemical engineering from Georgia Institute of Technology - Main Campus

9
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
88 Chem Eng Degrees Awarded
$73,118 Median Starting Salary

Located in the large suburb of Notre Dame, Notre Dame is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population. This university ranks 1st out of 42 colleges for overall quality in the state of Indiana.

There were approximately 88 chemical engineering students who graduated with this degree at Notre Dame in the most recent data year. Those chemical engineering students who get their degree from University of Notre Dame earn $7,248 more than the standard chem eng student.

More information about a degree in chemical engineering from University of Notre Dame

10
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
131 Chem Eng Degrees Awarded
$74,126 Median Starting Salary

Cornell is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the small city of Ithaca. This university ranks 3rd out of 142 schools for overall quality in the state of New York.

There were roughly 131 chemical engineering students who graduated with this degree at Cornell in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the chemical engineering degree program at Cornell University get $8,256 more than the typical graduate in this field when they enter the workforce.

More information about a degree in chemical engineering from Cornell University

11
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
276 Chem Eng Degrees Awarded
1.1% Growth in Graduates

Located in the medium-sized city of College Station, Texas A&M College Station is a public university with a very large student population. This university ranks 3rd out of 115 schools for overall quality in the state of Texas.

There were about 276 chemical engineering students who graduated with this degree at Texas A&M College Station in the most recent data year. Those chemical engineering students who get their degree from Texas A&M University - College Station receive $10,240 more than the typical chem eng graduate.

More information about a degree in chemical engineering from Texas A&M University - College Station

12
Princeton crest
Princeton University
Princeton, NJ
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
52 Chem Eng Degrees Awarded
17.3% Growth in Graduates

Princeton is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit university located in the small city of Princeton. A Best Colleges rank of #10 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means Princeton is a great university overall.

There were about 52 chemical engineering students who graduated with this degree at Princeton in the most recent data year. Soon after graduating, chem eng degree recipients usually make about $65,473 in their early careers.

More information about a degree in chemical engineering from Princeton University

13
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
237 Chem Eng Degrees Awarded
$75,967 Median Starting Salary

Purdue is a fairly large public university located in the small city of West Lafayette. This university ranks 2nd out of 42 colleges for overall quality in the state of Indiana.

There were roughly 237 chemical engineering students who graduated with this degree at Purdue in the most recent year we have data available. Degree recipients from the chemical engineering degree program at Purdue University - Main Campus make $10,097 above the average college grad with the same degree when they enter the workforce.

More information about a degree in chemical engineering from Purdue University - Main Campus

14
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
181 Chem Eng Degrees Awarded
8.8% Growth in Graduates

Located in the small city of Champaign, UIUC is a public university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 3rd out of 85 colleges for overall quality in the state of Illinois.

There were approximately 181 chemical engineering students who graduated with this degree at UIUC in the most recent year we have data available. Those chemical engineering students who get their degree from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign receive $7,623 more than the typical chem eng graduate.

More information about a degree in chemical engineering from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

15
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
203 Chem Eng Degrees Awarded
$77,308 Median Starting Salary

Located in the city of Austin, UT Austin is a public university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 2nd out of 115 colleges for overall quality in the state of Texas.

There were roughly 203 chemical engineering students who graduated with this degree at UT Austin in the most recent data year. Degree recipients from the chemical engineering major at The University of Texas at Austin earn $11,438 more than the average college grad in this field shortly after graduation.

More information about a degree in chemical engineering from The University of Texas at Austin

16
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
121 Chem Eng Degrees Awarded
$72,510 Median Starting Salary

Located in the city of Madison, UW - Madison is a public university with a fairly large student population. This university ranks 1st out of 46 schools for overall quality in the state of Wisconsin.

There were about 121 chemical engineering students who graduated with this degree at UW - Madison in the most recent year we have data available. Chemical Engineering degree recipients from University of Wisconsin - Madison get an earnings boost of about $6,640 above the average earnings of chemical engineering majors.

More information about a degree in chemical engineering from University of Wisconsin - Madison

17
Master's Degree Highest Degree Type
85 Chem Eng Degrees Awarded
16.5% Growth in Graduates

Located in the large suburb of Saint Louis, WUSTL is a private not-for-profit university with a large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #17 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means WUSTL is a great university overall.

There were approximately 85 chemical engineering students who graduated with this degree at WUSTL in the most recent year we have data available. Those chemical engineering students who get their degree from Washington University in St Louis receive $8,043 more than the typical chem eng grad.

More information about a degree in chemical engineering from Washington University in St Louis

18
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
114 Chem Eng Degrees Awarded
$66,676 Median Starting Salary

Located in the large city of New York, Columbia is a private not-for-profit university with a very large student population. A Best Colleges rank of #14 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means Columbia is a great university overall.

There were roughly 114 chemical engineering students who graduated with this degree at Columbia in the most recent year we have data available. After graduating, chem eng degree recipients generally earn around $66,676 at the beginning of their careers.

More information about a degree in chemical engineering from Columbia University in the City of New York

19
Vanderbilt crest
Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
37 Chem Eng Degrees Awarded
$73,971 Median Starting Salary

Vanderbilt is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Nashville. A Best Colleges rank of #19 out of 2,217 colleges nationwide means Vanderbilt is a great university overall.

There were approximately 37 chemical engineering students who graduated with this degree at Vanderbilt in the most recent data year. Chemical Engineering degree recipients from Vanderbilt University receive an earnings boost of around $8,101 over the typical income of chemical engineering graduates.

More information about a degree in chemical engineering from Vanderbilt University

20
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
68 Chem Eng Degrees Awarded
$66,458 Median Starting Salary

USC is a fairly large private not-for-profit university located in the large city of Los Angeles. A Best Colleges rank of #11 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means USC is a great university overall.

There were about 68 chemical engineering students who graduated with this degree at USC in the most recent data year. Students who receive their degree from the chem eng program make around $66,458 for their early career.

More information about a degree in chemical engineering from University of Southern California

21
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
175 Chem Eng Degrees Awarded
0.6% Growth in Graduates

UC Berkeley is a very large public university located in the midsize city of Berkeley. A Best Colleges rank of #18 out of 2,217 schools nationwide means UC Berkeley is a great university overall.

There were approximately 175 chemical engineering students who graduated with this degree at UC Berkeley in the most recent year we have data available. Graduates who receive their degree from the chem eng program earn an average of $64,932 in the first couple years of their career.

More information about a degree in chemical engineering from University of California - Berkeley

22
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
154 Chem Eng Degrees Awarded
14.3% Growth in Graduates

Located in the suburb of Golden, Mines is a public school with a moderately-sized student population. This school ranks 1st out of 33 colleges for overall quality in the state of Colorado.

There were roughly 154 chemical engineering students who graduated with this degree at Mines in the most recent data year. Those chemical engineering students who get their degree from Colorado School of Mines earn $4,159 more than the standard chem eng graduate.

More information about a degree in chemical engineering from Colorado School of Mines

23
Doctor's Degree Highest Degree Type
64 Chem Eng Degrees Awarded
10.9% Growth in Graduates

University of Virginia is a very large public university located in the small suburb of Charlottesville. This university ranks 1st out of 63 schools for overall quality in the state of Virginia.

There were approximately 64 chemical engineering students who graduated with this degree at University of Virginia in the most recent data year. Those chemical engineering students who get their degree from University of Virginia - Main Campus earn $4,057 more than the average chem eng student.

More information about a degree in chemical engineering from University of Virginia - Main Campus

Rest of the Top Best Chemical Engineering Schools

Additional Noteworthy Schools

These are some additional schools worth mentioning that are also great but just didn't quite make the cut to earn our top Best Chemical Engineering Schools award.

Rank College Location
26 University of Florida Gainesville, FL
27 University of California - Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA
28 University of California - San Diego La Jolla, CA
29 University of Delaware Newark, DE
30 Ohio State University - Main Campus Columbus, OH
24 University of Washington - Seattle Campus Seattle, WA
25 North Carolina State University Raleigh, NC

Chemical Engineering by Region

View the Best Chemical Engineering Schools for a specific region near you.

Region
Southeast
New England
Rocky Mountains
Plains States
Middle Atlantic
Far Western US
Southwest
Other U.S. Territories
Great Lakes

View All Rankings >

Chemical Engineering is one of 41 different types of Engineering programs to choose from.

Chem Eng Focus Areas

Major Annual Graduates
Chemical Engineering 12,690
Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering 227

View All Chem Eng Concentrations >

Related Major Annual Graduates
Mechanical Engineering 46,178
Electrical Engineering 28,844
Civil Engineering 21,388
Computer Engineering 17,987
Biomedical Engineering 12,811
General Engineering 11,796
Industrial Engineering 9,072
Aerospace & Aeronautical Engineering 8,001
Systems Engineering 3,904
Materials Engineering 3,415

View All Chem Eng Related Majors >

Notes and References

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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