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Engineering · Chemical Engineering Rank #9 of 158

Chemical Engineeringat Auburn University

Graduates earn $82,217/yr in their first year — about 14.0% above the national Chemical Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $970K; scenarios range from $823K to $1,021K depending on AI disruption.

Auburn, AL Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
75 STRONG
76
Optimistic
72
Pessimistic
Earnings
$82,217
1-year post-graduation
ROI
20.5x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$970K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
High
54% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at Auburn University

Auburn's chemical engineering program consistently produces graduates highly sought after in the Southeast's robust industrial landscape. This strong performance isn't just about academics; it's fueled by deep ties to major players in energy, materials science, pulp & paper, and specialty chemicals across Alabama and neighboring states. You'll find alumni driving process optimization, R&D, and manufacturing management at companies like ExxonMobil, Georgia-Pacific, and various pharmaceutical firms. While some analytical tasks in engineering face automation, your Auburn education emphasizes the critical thinking, problem-solving, and leadership skills that AI enhances, rather than replaces, positioning you for the higher-level roles seen in management and advanced design. To truly maximize your potential, aggressively pursue co-op placements; these direct industry experiences are invaluable for building your network and demonstrating practical application of your rigorous technical training.

AI Outlook Integration

Three scenarios, ten years out

Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.

Pessimistic
Mass Automation
$823K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score72/100
Earnings Multiple16.4x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$970K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score75/100
Earnings Multiple19.3x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$1,021K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score76/100
Earnings Multiple20.4x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Auburn University's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.

Career Paths

Where Chemical Engineering graduates typically work

Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.

1
Architectural and engineering managers
+3.8% 10-yr growth · 14,500 openings/yr
$167,740/yr
Moderate
2
Chemical engineers
+2.6% 10-yr growth · 1,100 openings/yr
$121,860/yr
Moderate
3
Engineers, all other
+2.1% 10-yr growth · 9,300 openings/yr
$117,750/yr
Moderate
4
Bioengineers and biomedical engineers
+5.2% 10-yr growth · 1,300 openings/yr
$106,950/yr
High
5
Engineering teachers, postsecondary
+8.1% 10-yr growth · 4,100 openings/yr
$106,120/yr
High
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. AI exposure from OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs and Felten AIOE research.
Compare & Explore

Peer schools offering Chemical Engineering

How Auburn University stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
Rice University
TX · Private nonprofit
64
DW Score
$88K
1-yr earn
4.1x
ROI
The University of Texas at Austin
TX · Public
76
DW Score
$87K
1-yr earn
22.7x
ROI
Top score
Lamar University
TX · Public
77
DW Score
$87K
1-yr earn
30.8x
ROI
University of Florida
FL · Public
77
DW Score
$87K
1-yr earn
40.0x
ROI
Texas A & M University-College Station
TX · Public
76
DW Score
$86K
1-yr earn
22.6x
ROI
Also at Auburn University

Other top programs at Auburn University

Other highest-scoring programs offered at Auburn University, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

FAQ

Frequently asked about Chemical Engineering at Auburn University

How does Auburn University's Chemical Engineering program score?

A score of 75/100 indicates strong financial outcomes. Auburn University's Chemical Engineering graduates fare well on earnings, job market size, and return on investment.

How vulnerable is Chemical Engineering to AI automation?

AI won't 'replace' Chemical Engineering careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 48% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.