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 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 $29,237. College Scorecard.
WMU 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 WMU'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 | $5,263 | $24,262 | under 1 year |
| $30–48k | $5,734 | $26,434 | under 1 year |
| $48–75k | $13,833 | $63,770 | 1.1 years |
| $75–110k | $18,307 | $84,395 | 1.4 years |
| $110k+ | $23,625 | $108,911 | 1.9 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.6 years, the average time graduates took (29% 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 ($91,777) minus $33,411 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MI (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $58,366 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 WMU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About WMU
- Acceptance rate: 85% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 58% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $53,562
- Full cost breakdown · all 99 majors · overview
Related majors at WMU
- Biochemistry—
- Paper Science and Engineering$102,825
- Electrical Engineering$95,469
- Civil Engineering$78,368
WMU Chemical Engineering questions
How much do WMU Chemical Engineering graduates earn?
Chemical Engineering graduates of Western Michigan University earn a median $91,777 four years after graduating and $68,632 one year after. The U.S. median for Chemical Engineering graduates across 158 colleges is $96,804.
How much debt do WMU Chemical Engineering graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Chemical Engineering graduates of Western Michigan University is $29,000, about 32% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $23,298.
Is WMU a good school for Chemical Engineering in Michigan?
On pay, Chemical Engineering graduates of Western Michigan University earn $91,777 four years out, $6,573 below the median for the same major across 6 Michigan colleges ($98,350) and $5,027 below the U.S. median ($96,804). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does WMU rank for Chemical Engineering in Michigan?
Of 6 Michigan colleges reporting Chemical Engineering graduate earnings, Western Michigan University ranks 6th. 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 $96,190 in the Kalamazoo-Portage, 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: “Western Michigan University Chemical Engineering: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/western-michigan-university/majors/chemical-engineering (College Scorecard and BLS data).