Chemical Engineering at Cleveland State University

Cleveland, OH · Public · Bachelor's Degree
69 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
70
Optimistic
69
Base Case
67
Pessimistic
Earnings $69,043/yr (-4% vs median)
AI Risk High (48% exposed)
Job Market Large (30,300 openings/yr)
ROI 15.3x earnings multiple (10.7x out-of-state)
Ranked #91 of 158 Chemical Engineering programs

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Chemical Engineering graduates.

Optimistic
No Disruption
Base Case
Gradual AI
Pessimistic
Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings $802K $772K $677K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 15.9x 15.3x 13.4x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 11.2x 10.7x 9.4x
Probability of Field Employment 82% 74% 54%
DegreeOutlook Score 70 69 67

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$50,452
Out-of-state: $71,892 (10.7x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$64,260
-27% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$25,550
4.4 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$84,127
22% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

Graduates earn $69,043/yr, roughly in line with the $72,288 national median for Chemical Engineering. The value proposition here depends on cost, not earnings.

The 15.3x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.

AI risk is moderate — 48% task exposure — and the 16% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

With first-year pay of $69,043 far exceeding the $25,550 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.

At #91 out of 158 programs, Cleveland State 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 $69,043 to $84,127 shows 22% growth, reflecting steady but unremarkable salary progression.

About Cleveland State University

Cleveland State University accepts 95% of applicants — an open-access institution by design, with a mid-sized student body of 9,077 in Cleveland, OH.

See all programs and financial aid at Cleveland State University →

Top Career Paths

Architectural and engineering managers $167,740/yr
Chemical engineers $121,860/yr
Engineers, all other $117,750/yr
View all 5 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Chemical Engineering at Other Schools

Other Majors at Cleveland State University

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Cleveland State University's Chemical Engineering program score?
A score of 69/100 reflects decent absolute metrics, but Cleveland State 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.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →