Chemical Engineeringat The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga
Graduates earn $57,952/yr in their first year — about 20.0% below the national Chemical Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $857K; scenarios range from $740K to $896K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at University of Tennessee-Chattanooga
Starting salaries of $57,952/yr fall 20% below the $72,288 national median for Chemical Engineering. The financial case depends heavily on whether tuition compensates.
The 21.1x 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 17% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.
At #94 out of 158 programs, The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga's financial outcomes for Chemical Engineering trail the majority of peers. The value case depends on other factors.
Earnings growth from $57,952 to $89,153 over five years (54% increase) indicates that graduates in this field see meaningful 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 University of Tennessee-Chattanooga'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 University of Tennessee-Chattanooga stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at University of Tennessee-Chattanooga
Other highest-scoring programs offered at University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Frequently asked about Chemical Engineering at University of Tennessee-Chattanooga
How does The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga's Chemical Engineering program score?
A score of 69/100 reflects decent absolute metrics, but The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga 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 The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga?
Lower starting pay at The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga may reflect local labor market conditions rather than program quality. Many graduates see convergence with national averages within 3-5 years.