# Western Michigan University: Chemical Engineering (bachelor's)

Kalamazoo, MI. IPEDS 172699, CIP 14.07. Page: https://educationguide.com/colleges/western-michigan-university/majors/chemical-engineering

## Graduate outcomes
- Median earnings 1 year after graduating: $68,632
- Median earnings 4 years after graduating: $91,777 (U.S. median for this major: $96,804 across 158 colleges)
- Median federal loan debt: $29,000 (U.S. median $23,298)
- Rank in MI: 6 of 6 colleges by 4-year earnings
- Versus the MI median for this major (6 colleges, $98,350): -$6,573
- Versus the U.S. median: -$5,027

## Cost to finish and years to pay back (EducationGuide calculation)
School-wide net price x 4.61 years (average time graduates took). Earnings gain = $91,777 minus $33,411 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MI (Census ACS 2020-2024).

| 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 |

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

## Chemical Engineering at MI colleges
| College | Earnings 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | $109,405 | $21,250 | $13,138 | 93% |
| Kettering University | $103,868 | $29,000 | $34,660 | 71% |
| Michigan State University | $102,223 | $26,573 | $19,680 | 81% |
| Michigan Technological University | $94,478 | $24,750 | $14,182 | 68% |
| Wayne State University | $93,047 | $29,900 | $12,766 | 58% |
| Western Michigan University | $91,777 | $29,000 | $15,273 | 58% |

## Careers
- Chemical engineer (SOC 17-2040): median wage $96,190 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI, $103,230 MI, $125,040 U.S.; U.S. jobs 4.7% by 2035
- Architectural and Engineering Managers (SOC 11-9041): median wage $149,030 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI, $166,930 MI, $171,270 U.S.; U.S. jobs 5.5% by 2035
- Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers (SOC 17-2031): median wage not reported Kalamazoo-Portage, MI, $100,940 MI, $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).