U.S. median for this major: $96,804.
College Scorecard field of study; 44 graduates with earnings reported. A small group, so treat this figure with caution
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 12% 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 $79,788. College Scorecard.
Rice University 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 Rice University'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 | $5,827 | $23,774 | under 1 year |
| $30–48k | $563 | $2,297 | under 1 year |
| $48–75k | $3,217 | $13,125 | under 1 year |
| $75–110k | $17,755 | $72,440 | under 1 year |
| $110k+ | $48,466 | $197,741 | 2.5 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.1 years, the average time graduates took (89% 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 ($113,605) minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in TX (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $80,089 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 Texas colleges
Every Texas 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 | The University of Texas at Austin | $115,423 | $19,844 | $19,857 | 89% |
| 2 | Rice University | $113,605 | $13,178 | $13,370 | 95% |
| 3 | Texas A&M University-College Station | $111,073 | $18,135 | $21,315 | 84% |
| 4 | University of Houston | $110,184 | $20,000 | $14,276 | 65% |
| 5 | Lamar University | $101,018 | $20,019 | $9,366 | 37% |
| 6 | Texas Tech University | $99,747 | $28,000 | $19,070 | 69% |
| 7 | Texas A&M University-Kingsville | $97,811 | $23,500 | $12,090 | 42% |
| 8 | Prairie View A & M University | $92,591 | $33,000 | $13,570 | 43% |
3 more Texas colleges offer Chemical Engineering but have too few graduates to report earnings.
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 Rice University, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Rice University
- Acceptance rate: 8% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 95% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $89,718
- Full cost breakdown · all 55 majors · overview
Related majors at Rice University
- Biomedical Engineering$121,099
- Biochemistry—
- Electrical Engineering$136,656
- Civil Engineering—
Rice University Chemical Engineering questions
How much do Rice University Chemical Engineering graduates earn?
Chemical Engineering graduates of Rice University earn a median $113,605 four years after graduating and $87,830 one year after. The U.S. median for Chemical Engineering graduates across 158 colleges is $96,804.
How much debt do Rice University Chemical Engineering graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Chemical Engineering graduates of Rice University is $13,178, about 12% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $23,298.
Is Rice University a good school for Chemical Engineering in Texas?
On pay, Chemical Engineering graduates of Rice University earn $113,605 four years out, $8,004 above the median for the same major across 8 Texas colleges ($105,601) and $16,801 above the U.S. median ($96,804). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Rice University rank for Chemical Engineering in Texas?
Of 8 Texas colleges reporting Chemical Engineering graduate earnings, Rice University ranks 2nd. The highest is The University of Texas at Austin at $115,423.
What jobs do Chemical Engineering graduates get?
A common career is chemical engineer, with a median wage of $138,120 in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX area 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: “Rice University Chemical Engineering: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/rice-university/majors/chemical-engineering (College Scorecard and BLS data).