U.S. median for this major: $96,804.
College Scorecard field of study
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 19% 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 $38,701. College Scorecard.
Chemical Engineering at California colleges
Every California 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 California-Berkeley | $121,027 | $18,155 | $13,481 | 93% |
| 2 | University of California-Santa Barbara | $113,317 | $14,937 | $16,109 | 83% |
| 3 | University of California-Los Angeles | $108,066 | $18,205 | $12,548 | 93% |
| 4 | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona | $102,849 | $21,812 | $11,531 | 68% |
| 5 | University of California-Davis | $102,649 | $16,000 | $14,741 | 86% |
| 6 | University of Southern California | $100,646 | $13,000 | $32,740 | 92% |
| 7 | University of California-Irvine | $97,656 | $18,500 | $14,251 | 87% |
| 8 | University of California-San Diego | $96,798 | $18,157 | $12,470 | 86% |
| 9 | California State University-Long Beach | $92,523 | $16,374 | $10,440 | 69% |
| 10 | University of California-Riverside | $91,457 | $17,413 | $14,304 | 76% |
4 more California 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 University of California-San Diego, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About University of California-San Diego
- Acceptance rate: 27% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 86% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $84,943
- Full cost breakdown · all 72 majors · overview
Related majors at University of California-San Diego
- Biomedical Engineering$98,687
- Biochemistry$72,491
- Biological / Biosystems Engineering$111,677
- Electrical Engineering$118,150
- Civil Engineering$91,745
University of California-San Diego Chemical Engineering questions
How much do University of California-San Diego Chemical Engineering graduates earn?
Chemical Engineering graduates of University of California-San Diego earn a median $96,798 four years after graduating and $59,508 one year after. The U.S. median for Chemical Engineering graduates across 158 colleges is $96,804.
How much debt do University of California-San Diego Chemical Engineering graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Chemical Engineering graduates of University of California-San Diego is $18,157, about 19% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $23,298.
Where does University of California-San Diego rank for Chemical Engineering in California?
Of 10 California colleges reporting Chemical Engineering graduate earnings, University of California-San Diego ranks 8th. The highest is University of California-Berkeley at $121,027.
What jobs do Chemical Engineering graduates get?
A common career is chemical engineer, with a median wage of — in California 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: “University of California-San Diego Chemical Engineering: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-california-san-diego/majors/chemical-engineering (College Scorecard and BLS data).