# University of Kentucky: Chemical Engineering (bachelor's)

Lexington, KY. IPEDS 157085, CIP 14.07. Page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-kentucky/majors/chemical-engineering

## Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings 1 year after graduating: $65,389
- Median earnings 4 years after graduating: $98,003 (U.S. median for this major: $96,804 across 158 colleges)
- Median federal loan debt: $25,308 (U.S. median $23,298)
- Rank in KY: 2 of 2 colleges by 4-year earnings
- Versus the U.S. median: +$1,199

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
School-wide net price x 4.26 years (average time graduates took). Earnings gain = $98,003 minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in KY (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | $12,182 | $51,895 | under 1 year |
| 30-48k | $12,119 | $51,627 | under 1 year |
| 48-75k | $16,313 | $69,493 | 1.1 years |
| 75-110k | $21,192 | $90,278 | 1.4 years |
| 110k+ | $26,781 | $114,087 | 1.8 years |

Method: https://educationguide.com/how-we-score#value

## Chemical Engineering at KY colleges
| College | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Louisville | $101,068 | $21,500 | $17,988 | 61% |
| University of Kentucky | $98,003 | $25,308 | $18,851 | 71% |

## Careers
- Chemical engineer (SOC 17-2040): median wage not reported Lexington-Fayette, KY, $117,170 KY, $125,040 U.S.; U.S. jobs 4.7% by 2035
- Architectural and Engineering Managers (SOC 11-9041): median wage $161,170 Lexington-Fayette, KY, $147,680 KY, $171,270 U.S.; U.S. jobs 5.5% by 2035
- Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers (SOC 17-2031): median wage not reported Lexington-Fayette, KY, $95,360 KY, $109,370 U.S.; U.S. jobs 7.6% by 2035

## Sources and years
- Earnings (4 yr): Treasury AY2017-2018, AY2018-2019 pooled earnings cohort measured in CY2022, CY2023, inflation adjusted to 2024 dollars; debt: NSLDS pooled AY2018-19, AY2019-20 cohort

Free to reuse with attribution: cite "EducationGuide.com" with a link to the page URL. Most figures are U.S. government data (public domain); loan default rates and athletics come from the Urban Institute Education Data Portal (ODC-By 1.0, attribution required) and founding years from Wikidata (CC0).