Chemical Engineering: California State Polytechnic University-Pomona vs Texas A & M University-College Station

Side-by-side ROI comparison · Bachelor's Degree
Return on Investment
10-year earnings ÷ tuition · higher is better
In-State
26.2x
$29,756 tuition
18.2x
$52,396 tuition
Out-of-State
10.1x
$77,276 tuition
5.9x
$161,312 tuition
$69,009/yr starting · Public
$86,176/yr starting · Public

Head-to-Head

California State Polytechnic University-Pomona Texas A & M University-College Station
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 26.2x 18.2x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 10.1x 5.9x
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $29,756 $52,396
Year 1 Earnings $69,009 $86,176
10-Year Earnings $781K $951K
Median Debt $21,322 $18,017
Debt-to-Earnings Ratio 3.7 months 2.5 months
DegreeWorth Score (In-State) 71/100 73/100
Acceptance Rate 73.7% 63.2%

Both programs have high AI automation risk (48% task exposure) — the same career paths apply to Chemical Engineering graduates regardless of school. See full AI analysis →

ROI Breakdown

How tuition costs translate into long-term earnings for Chemical Engineering graduates.

California State Polytechnic University-Pomona Texas A & M University-College Station
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $29,756 $52,396
4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) $77,276 $161,312
10-Year Projected Earnings $781K $951K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 26.2x 18.2x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 10.1x 5.9x
5-Year Salary Growth +50% +44%

"Earnings Multiple" = projected 10-year earnings ÷ 4-year tuition. Higher is better. Not a discounted financial ROI.

AI Disruption Scenarios

Both schools share identical AI exposure for Chemical Engineering (same career paths). The score differences below reflect how each school's earnings and ROI hold up under stress.

California State Polytechnic University-Pomona Texas A & M University-College Station
Optim. Base Pessim. Optim. Base Pessim.
10-Year Earnings $1,138K $781K $512K $1,339K $951K $640K
Earnings Multiple (IS) 38.2x 26.2x 17.2x 25.6x 18.2x 12.2x
DegreeWorth Score 74 71 65 75 73 66

For the full AI analysis of Chemical Engineering career paths, see the California State Polytechnic University-Pomona or Texas A & M University-College Station program pages.

Earnings Trajectory Comparison

Projected annual earnings for Chemical Engineering graduates. Year 1 uses actual reported data.

Tuition Gap (In-State)
$22,640
California State Polytechnic University-Pomona saves you this
Year 1 Earnings Gap
$17,167/yr
Texas A & M University-College Station grads earn more
ROI Range (In-State)
26.2x / 18.2x
Out-of-state: 10.1x / 5.9x

Career Paths

Chemical Engineering graduates from both schools map to the same career paths. Differences in earnings reflect school prestige, location, and employer networks.

Career Path Wage Openings/yr Growth AI Risk
Architectural and engineering managers $167,740 14,500 +3.8% 41%
Chemical engineers $121,860 1,100 +2.6% 46%
Engineers, all other $117,750 9,300 +2.1% 46%
Bioengineers and biomedical engineers $106,950 1,300 +5.2% 59%
Engineering teachers, postsecondary $106,120 4,100 +8.1% 50%

Explore Each Program

More Chemical Engineering Comparisons

Chemical Engineering Overview

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for Chemical Engineering: California State Polytechnic University-Pomona or Texas A & M University-College Station?
California State Polytechnic University-Pomona scores 71/100 while Texas A & M University-College Station scores 73/100. California State Polytechnic University-Pomona has significantly lower tuition, which drives its higher ROI. The best choice depends on whether you prioritize raw earnings or return on investment.
Which school has better ROI for Chemical Engineering?
California State Polytechnic University-Pomona has an in-state earnings multiple of 26.2x vs Texas A & M University-College Station's 18.2x. That means California State Polytechnic University-Pomona grads earn more per dollar spent on tuition. The $22,640 tuition gap is the biggest driver of this difference.
How do California State Polytechnic University-Pomona and Texas A & M University-College Station compare on Chemical Engineering earnings?
Year 1 median earnings are $69,009 at California State Polytechnic University-Pomona vs $86,176 at Texas A & M University-College Station. Over 10 years, the projected totals are $781,006 vs $951,155 — a difference of $170,149.
How much does Chemical Engineering cost at each school?
Four-year in-state tuition is $29,756 at California State Polytechnic University-Pomona and $52,396 at Texas A & M University-College Station. Median debt at graduation is $21,322 vs $18,017. Both programs lead to the same Chemical Engineering career paths — the cost difference is the main factor in ROI.
Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024-2034 (employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE. Scenarios use a continuous weighting function combining AI exposure and BLS job growth projections. "Earnings Multiple" is total 10-year projected earnings divided by tuition — not a discounted financial ROI. Last updated 2025.