U.S. median for this major: $96,804.
College Scorecard field of study; 86 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 27% 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 $78,679. College Scorecard.
WPI 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 WPI'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 | $24,018 | $97,753 | 1.6 years |
| $30–48k | $24,452 | $99,520 | 1.6 years |
| $48–75k | $32,350 | $131,665 | 2.2 years |
| $75–110k | $37,753 | $153,655 | 2.5 years |
| $110k+ | $49,716 | $202,344 | 3.4 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.1 years, the average time graduates took (83% 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 ($100,199) minus $39,880 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $60,319 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 Massachusetts colleges
Every Massachusetts 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 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | $122,093 | $15,209 | $20,111 | 96% |
| 2 | Northeastern University | $107,767 | $27,000 | $30,915 | 91% |
| 3 | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | $100,199 | $27,000 | $43,071 | 90% |
| 4 | University of Massachusetts-Amherst | $97,990 | $27,000 | $22,383 | 83% |
| 5 | University of Massachusetts-Lowell | $94,972 | $27,000 | $17,163 | 65% |
1 more Massachusetts college offers Chemical Engineering but has 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 WPI, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About WPI
- Acceptance rate: 60% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 90% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $103,470
- Full cost breakdown · all 35 majors · overview
Related majors at WPI
- Biomedical Engineering$92,806
- Biochemistry—
- Electrical Engineering$109,386
- Civil Engineering$93,417
WPI Chemical Engineering questions
How much do WPI Chemical Engineering graduates earn?
Chemical Engineering graduates of Worcester Polytechnic Institute earn a median $100,199 four years after graduating and $78,767 one year after. The U.S. median for Chemical Engineering graduates across 158 colleges is $96,804.
How much debt do WPI Chemical Engineering graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Chemical Engineering graduates of Worcester Polytechnic Institute is $27,000, about 27% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $23,298.
Is WPI a good school for Chemical Engineering in Massachusetts?
On pay, Chemical Engineering graduates of Worcester Polytechnic Institute earn $100,199 four years out, $0 above the median for the same major across 5 Massachusetts colleges ($100,199) and $3,395 above the U.S. median ($96,804). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does WPI rank for Chemical Engineering in Massachusetts?
Of 5 Massachusetts colleges reporting Chemical Engineering graduate earnings, Worcester Polytechnic Institute ranks 3rd. The highest is Massachusetts Institute of Technology at $122,093.
What jobs do Chemical Engineering graduates get?
A common career is chemical engineer, with a median wage of $104,060 in the Worcester, MA 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: “Worcester Polytechnic Institute Chemical Engineering: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/worcester-polytechnic-institute/majors/chemical-engineering (College Scorecard and BLS data).