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Engineering · Chemical Engineering Rank #134 of 158

Chemical Engineeringat Drexel University

Graduates earn $77,528/yr in their first year — about 7.0% above the national Chemical Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $936K; scenarios range from $798K to $984K depending on AI disruption.

Philadelphia, PA Private nonprofit Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
61 SOLID
62
Optimistic
58
Pessimistic
Earnings
$77,528
1-year post-graduation
ROI
3.3x
Earnings : tuition
10-yr Base
$936K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
High
54% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at Drexel University

At $77,528 per year, Chemical Engineering graduates from Drexel University earn slightly above the $72,288 national median. The premium is real but not dramatic.

At 3.9x tuition cost in decade earnings, the ROI is moderate. This program pays for itself, but it's not a financial slam-dunk.

The 19% difference between AI scenarios reflects partial automation exposure. Some Chemical Engineering career paths face displacement, but others in the field are more insulated.

The median debt load of $29,833 represents less than half a year of starting salary — among the lightest debt-to-income ratios we track.

A #134 ranking among 158 Chemical Engineering programs places Drexel University in the lower half. Price, proximity, and personal fit become the stronger arguments.

A 33% earnings increase from $77,528 to $103,291 over five years is solid — not a moonshot, but evidence of normal career advancement.

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
$798K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score58/100
Earnings Multiple3.3x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$936K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score61/100
Earnings Multiple3.9x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$984K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score62/100
Earnings Multiple4.1x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to Drexel 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 Drexel 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 Drexel University

Other top programs at Drexel University

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

FAQ

Frequently asked about Chemical Engineering at Drexel University

What does a 61/100 DegreeOutlook Score mean for Chemical Engineering at Drexel University?

At 61/100, the score looks reasonable — but Chemical Engineering is a high-scoring field overall. Compared to peers, this program's earnings and ROI fall below the median.

Should I worry about AI if I study Chemical Engineering at Drexel University?

The 48% AI task exposure score is above average. Our model shows this affecting job availability more than salaries — graduates may face stiffer competition for fewer positions.