U.S. median for this major: $96,804.
College Scorecard field of study; 113 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 21% 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 $24,591. College Scorecard.
PU 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 PU'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 | $5,098 | $21,717 | under 1 year |
| $30–48k | $6,241 | $26,587 | under 1 year |
| $48–75k | $9,438 | $40,206 | under 1 year |
| $75–110k | $18,177 | $77,434 | 1.1 years |
| $110k+ | $22,742 | $96,881 | 1.4 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (64% 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 ($104,514) minus $35,534 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IN (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $68,980 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 Indiana colleges
Every Indiana 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 | University of Notre Dame | $113,614 | $19,000 | $26,780 | 95% |
| 2 | Purdue University | $104,514 | $21,500 | $14,600 | 83% |
| 3 | Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology | $98,341 | $24,500 | $42,513 | 78% |
| 4 | Trine University | $88,192 | $27,000 | $25,355 | 64% |
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 PU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About PU
- Acceptance rate: 50% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 83% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $72,424
- Full cost breakdown · all 112 majors · overview
Related majors at PU
- Biomedical Engineering$93,434
- Biochemistry$67,639
- Electrical Engineering$105,396
- Civil Engineering$90,873
PU Chemical Engineering questions
How much do PU Chemical Engineering graduates earn?
Chemical Engineering graduates of Purdue University earn a median $104,514 four years after graduating and $81,105 one year after. The U.S. median for Chemical Engineering graduates across 158 colleges is $96,804.
How much debt do PU Chemical Engineering graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Chemical Engineering graduates of Purdue University is $21,500, about 21% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $23,298.
Is PU a good school for Chemical Engineering in Indiana?
On pay, Chemical Engineering graduates of Purdue University earn $104,514 four years out, $3,086 above the median for the same major across 4 Indiana colleges ($101,428) and $7,710 above the U.S. median ($96,804). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does PU rank for Chemical Engineering in Indiana?
Of 4 Indiana colleges reporting Chemical Engineering graduate earnings, Purdue University ranks 2nd. The highest is University of Notre Dame at $113,614.
What jobs do Chemical Engineering graduates get?
A common career is chemical engineer, with a median wage of $113,160 in Indiana and $125,040 nationally. Others include architectural and engineering managers and bioengineers and biomedical engineers.
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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: “Purdue University Chemical Engineering: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/purdue-university-main-campus/majors/chemical-engineering (College Scorecard and BLS data).