U.S. median for this major: $96,804.
College Scorecard field of study; 55 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 22% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $23,298.
College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $31,642. College Scorecard.
Colorado State University-Fort Collins Chemical Engineering: pay against the field, and payback
Same major, other colleges
Median earnings 4 years after graduating; state and U.S. figures are the median of each covered college's graduates in this major. College Scorecard; calculated by EducationGuide.
Chemical Engineering nationally: jobs, pay at ages 25-34, every state →
Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income
Uses Colorado State University-Fort Collins's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $13,259 | $57,677 | 1.0 years |
| $30–48k | $14,460 | $62,901 | 1.1 years |
| $48–75k | $15,905 | $69,187 | 1.2 years |
| $75–110k | $21,927 | $95,382 | 1.7 years |
| $110k+ | $29,763 | $129,469 | 2.3 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (47% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of Chemical Engineering graduates 4 years after graduating ($97,271) minus $40,610 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in CO (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $56,661 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method
College Scorecard; IPEDS Graduation Rates; U.S. Census Bureau ACS. Calculated by EducationGuide.
Chemical Engineering at Colorado colleges
Every Colorado college we cover that reports Chemical Engineering graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Colorado State University-Fort Collins | $97,271 | $21,240 | $21,279 | 67% |
| 2 | University of Colorado Boulder | $95,780 | $24,500 | $25,346 | 74% |
| 3 | Colorado School of Mines | $94,598 | $27,000 | $28,690 | 82% |
Careers for Chemical Engineering graduates
Chemical engineer
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +4.7% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Architectural and Engineering Managers
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +5.5% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +7.6% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35. Careers from the federal major-to-occupation crosswalk.
What families pay at Colorado State University-Fort Collins, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Colorado State University-Fort Collins
- Acceptance rate: 89% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 67% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $60,543
- Full cost breakdown · all 71 majors · overview
Related majors at Colorado State University-Fort Collins
- Biomedical Engineering—
- Biochemistry$70,343
- Electrical Engineering$99,172
- Civil Engineering$88,001
Colorado State University-Fort Collins Chemical Engineering questions
How much do Colorado State University-Fort Collins Chemical Engineering graduates earn?
Chemical Engineering graduates of Colorado State University-Fort Collins earn a median $97,271 four years after graduating and $62,468 one year after. The U.S. median for Chemical Engineering graduates across 158 colleges is $96,804.
How much debt do Colorado State University-Fort Collins Chemical Engineering graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Chemical Engineering graduates of Colorado State University-Fort Collins is $21,240, about 22% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $23,298.
Is Colorado State University-Fort Collins a good school for Chemical Engineering in Colorado?
On pay, Chemical Engineering graduates of Colorado State University-Fort Collins earn $97,271 four years out, $1,491 above the median for the same major across 3 Colorado colleges ($95,780) and $467 above the U.S. median ($96,804). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Colorado State University-Fort Collins rank for Chemical Engineering in Colorado?
Of 3 Colorado colleges reporting Chemical Engineering graduate earnings, Colorado State University-Fort Collins ranks 1st, the highest.
What jobs do Chemical Engineering graduates get?
A common career is chemical engineer, with a median wage of $139,220 in the Fort Collins-Loveland, CO area and $125,040 nationally. Others include architectural and engineering managers and bioengineers and biomedical engineers.
Is Colorado State University-Fort Collins the right fit for your family?
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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (field of study: median earnings and federal loan debt of graduates who received federal aid); BLS. How we score
Data: JSON · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Colorado State University-Fort Collins Chemical Engineering: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/colorado-state-university-fort-collins/majors/chemical-engineering (College Scorecard and BLS data).