Chemical Engineeringat Michigan State University
Graduates earn $79,023/yr in their first year — about 9.0% above the national Chemical Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $860K; scenarios range from $742K to $900K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at Michigan State University
First-year earnings of $79,023 at Michigan State University come in 9% above the national median of $72,288 for Chemical Engineering programs.
The 13.5x 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 18% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.
With first-year pay of $79,023 far exceeding the $25,314 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.
Ranked #64 out of 158 programs, Michigan State University's Chemical Engineering offering sits in the upper half but doesn't break into the top tier.
The five-year earnings trajectory from $79,023 to $95,843 shows 21% 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 Michigan State 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 Michigan State University stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at Michigan State University
Other highest-scoring programs offered at Michigan State University, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Frequently asked about Chemical Engineering at Michigan State University
How does Michigan State University's Chemical Engineering program score?
A score of 71/100 indicates strong financial outcomes. Michigan State University's Chemical Engineering graduates fare well on earnings, job market size, and return on investment.
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.