Program Analysis
New Mexico State University-Main Campus's Chemical Engineering program produces graduates earning $75,766/yr — within striking distance of the $72,288 national average for this field.
Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 24.7x 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 16% gap from the optimistic case.
Loan repayment is a non-issue here — $14,409 in median debt clears quickly against $75,766 in annual earnings.
At #25 of 158 nationally, this is a top-5% Chemical Engineering program. Financial outcomes consistently outperform the vast majority of peers.
Five-year earnings of $89,216 are relatively flat compared to the $75,766 starting salary — typical of fields with stable but capped salary bands.