Chemical Engineeringat New York University
Graduates earn $60,392/yr in their first year — about 16.0% below the national Chemical Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $1,015K; scenarios range from $856K to $1,072K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at New York University
Your path through NYU's Chemical Engineering program reflects the unique New York City ecosystem rather than traditional industrial hubs. While your rigorous technical skills are highly valued, the local job market for chemical engineers leans less towards large-scale manufacturing and more towards specialized areas like pharmaceutical research and development, advanced materials science, environmental consulting, or even quantitative roles in finance. Many graduates leverage their analytical prowess for management consulting or biotech startups, which can offer different initial compensation profiles compared to established industrial firms in other regions. This diverse application of skills, combined with the field's susceptibility to automation, means your career trajectory might be less linear. To maximize your return, actively seek internships that align with these local industry strengths and network extensively with alumni in diverse fields, ensuring you tailor your skills for the specific opportunities available.
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 New York 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 New York University stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at New York University
Other highest-scoring programs offered at New York University, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Frequently asked about Chemical Engineering at New York University
How does New York University's Chemical Engineering program score?
A score of 57/100 reflects decent absolute metrics, but New York University trails the majority of Chemical Engineering programs on relative rankings. Context matters more than the raw number.
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.
Why are Chemical Engineering earnings lower at New York University?
Lower starting pay at New York University may reflect local labor market conditions rather than program quality. Many graduates see convergence with national averages within 3-5 years.