Chemical Engineeringat Bucknell University
Graduates earn $80,653/yr in their first year — about 12.0% above the national Chemical Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $1,002K; scenarios range from $847K to $1,057K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at Bucknell University
At $80,653 per year, Chemical Engineering graduates from Bucknell University earn slightly above the $72,288 national median. The premium is real but not dramatic.
The 3.9x return on tuition is positive but not overwhelming. Financial outcomes depend on keeping costs close to in-state rates.
AI risk is moderate — 48% task exposure — and the 20% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.
The median debt load of $27,000 represents less than half a year of starting salary — among the lightest debt-to-income ratios we track.
At #126 out of 158 programs, Bucknell University's financial outcomes for Chemical Engineering trail the majority of peers. The value case depends on other factors.
The five-year earnings trajectory from $80,653 to $110,838 shows 37% growth, reflecting steady but unremarkable salary progression.
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.
10 year projection
Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Bucknell University's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.
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.
Peer schools offering Chemical Engineering
How Bucknell University stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at Bucknell University
Other highest-scoring programs offered at Bucknell University, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Frequently asked about Chemical Engineering at Bucknell University
How does Bucknell University's Chemical Engineering program score?
A score of 62/100 reflects decent absolute metrics, but Bucknell University trails the majority of Chemical Engineering programs on relative rankings. Context matters more than the raw number.
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.