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Engineering · Chemical Engineering Rank #22 of 158

Chemical Engineeringat Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College

Graduates earn $74,786/yr in their first year — about 3.0% above the national Chemical Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $1,031K; scenarios range from $868K to $1,089K depending on AI disruption.

Baton Rouge, LA Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
74 STRONG
76
Optimistic
72
Pessimistic
Earnings
$74,786
1-year post-graduation
ROI
22.3x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$1,031K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
High
54% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at LSU

Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College's Chemical Engineering program produces graduates earning $74,786/yr — within striking distance of the $72,288 national average for this field.

With a 21.6x return on in-state tuition over ten years, the financial case for this program is compelling by virtually any measure.

The 20% difference between AI scenarios reflects partial automation exposure. Some Chemical Engineering career paths face displacement, but others in the field are more insulated.

Loan repayment is a non-issue here — $20,500 in median debt clears quickly against $74,786 in annual earnings.

Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College ranks #22 among 158 Chemical Engineering programs, placing it in the top 5% nationally by our financial outcomes measure.

A 49% earnings increase from $74,786 to $111,631 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
$868K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score72/100
Earnings Multiple18.2x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$1,031K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score74/100
Earnings Multiple21.6x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$1,089K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score76/100
Earnings Multiple22.8x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

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

Other top programs at LSU

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

FAQ

Frequently asked about Chemical Engineering at LSU

What does a 74/100 DegreeOutlook Score mean for Chemical Engineering at Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College?

At 74/100, this is a high-performing program. The DegreeOutlook Score combines earnings, AI resilience, and ROI — and this program delivers on all three.

Should I worry about AI if I study Chemical Engineering at Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College?

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.

Is Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College one of the best schools for Chemical Engineering?

Among 158 Chemical Engineering programs, Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College's #22 position reflects consistently above-average results across earnings, ROI, and employment probability.