U.S. median for this major: $96,804.
College Scorecard field of study; 32 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 32% 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 $27,350. College Scorecard.
WSU 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 WSU'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 | $11,090 | $50,127 | under 1 year |
| $30–48k | $10,721 | $48,459 | under 1 year |
| $48–75k | $12,068 | $54,547 | under 1 year |
| $75–110k | $14,828 | $67,023 | 1.1 years |
| $110k+ | $19,862 | $89,776 | 1.5 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.5 years, the average time graduates took (33% 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 ($93,047) minus $33,411 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MI (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $59,636 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 Michigan colleges
Every Michigan 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 Michigan-Ann Arbor | $109,405 | $21,250 | $13,138 | 93% |
| 2 | Kettering University | $103,868 | $29,000 | $34,660 | 71% |
| 3 | Michigan State University | $102,223 | $26,573 | $19,680 | 81% |
| 4 | Michigan Technological University | $94,478 | $24,750 | $14,182 | 68% |
| 5 | Wayne State University | $93,047 | $29,900 | $12,766 | 58% |
| 6 | Western Michigan University | $91,777 | $29,000 | $15,273 | 58% |
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 WSU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About WSU
- Acceptance rate: 81% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 58% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $53,493
- Full cost breakdown · all 84 majors · overview
Related majors at WSU
- Biomedical Engineering$106,048
- Electrical Engineering$100,944
- Civil Engineering$84,157
WSU Chemical Engineering questions
How much do WSU Chemical Engineering graduates earn?
Chemical Engineering graduates of Wayne State University earn a median $93,047 four years after graduating and $71,373 one year after. The U.S. median for Chemical Engineering graduates across 158 colleges is $96,804.
How much debt do WSU Chemical Engineering graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Chemical Engineering graduates of Wayne State University is $29,900, about 32% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $23,298.
Is WSU a good school for Chemical Engineering in Michigan?
On pay, Chemical Engineering graduates of Wayne State University earn $93,047 four years out, $5,303 below the median for the same major across 6 Michigan colleges ($98,350) and $3,757 below the U.S. median ($96,804). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does WSU rank for Chemical Engineering in Michigan?
Of 6 Michigan colleges reporting Chemical Engineering graduate earnings, Wayne State University ranks 5th. The highest is University of Michigan-Ann Arbor at $109,405.
What jobs do Chemical Engineering graduates get?
A common career is chemical engineer, with a median wage of $104,230 in the Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI 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: “Wayne State University Chemical Engineering: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/wayne-state-university/majors/chemical-engineering (College Scorecard and BLS data).