Program Analysis
Iowa State University's Chemical Engineering graduates start at $76,184/yr — above the $72,288 national average, though not by a wide margin.
Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 20.7x in decade earnings — an exceptional ratio that places this among the highest-ROI Chemical Engineering programs nationally.
Some AI exposure exists in Chemical Engineering's typical career paths, with 48% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 18% gap from the optimistic case.
Loan repayment is a non-issue here — $20,136 in median debt clears quickly against $76,184 in annual earnings.
At #21 of 158 nationally, this is a top-5% Chemical Engineering program. Financial outcomes consistently outperform the vast majority of peers.
Earnings grow from $76,184 to $96,097 over five years — a 26% increase that's moderate and in line with typical career progression.