Chemical Engineeringat Mississippi State University
Graduates earn $78,183/yr in their first year — about 8.0% above the national Chemical Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $947K; scenarios range from $806K to $996K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at Mississippi State University
First-year earnings of $78,183 at Mississippi State University come in 8% above the national median of $72,288 for Chemical Engineering programs.
Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 24.1x 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 19% gap from the optimistic case.
With first-year pay of $78,183 far exceeding the $22,500 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.
Ranked #14 of 158 programs, Mississippi State University's Chemical Engineering program falls in the top 10%, outperforming most peers on financial outcomes.
Earnings grow from $78,183 to $104,589 over five years — a 34% increase that's moderate and in line with typical career 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 Mississippi 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 Mississippi State University stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at Mississippi State University
Other highest-scoring programs offered at Mississippi State University, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Frequently asked about Chemical Engineering at Mississippi State University
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Chemical Engineering at Mississippi State University?
This program scores 75/100 — placing it among the stronger programs for Chemical Engineering nationally. The score reflects above-average earnings, manageable AI risk, and solid financial return.
Will AI replace Chemical Engineering careers?
With 48% of typical job tasks exposed to AI, this is one of the higher-risk fields. Our pessimistic scenario projects $806,025 in decade earnings vs $995,798 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.