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Engineering · Chemical Engineering Rank #151 of 158

Chemical Engineeringat University of Alabama in Huntsville

Graduates earn $60,528/yr in their first year — about 16.0% below the national Chemical Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $641K; scenarios range from $581K to $657K depending on AI disruption.

Huntsville, AL Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
55 SOLID
56
Optimistic
53
Pessimistic
Earnings
$60,528
1-year post-graduation
ROI
11.9x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$641K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
High
54% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at University of Alabama in Huntsville

The outcomes for UAH Chemical Engineering suggest a nuanced labor market you should understand. Huntsville's economy, while robust, is heavily dominated by aerospace, defense, and federal contractors like NASA and Redstone Arsenal. These employers primarily seek mechanical, electrical, and computer engineers, making traditional chemical engineering roles less prevalent locally.

You might find opportunities in materials science or process engineering within these sectors, but competition could be high, or salaries might not align with national averages for broader chemical industry roles. Furthermore, the high AI risk indicates that many process optimization and design tasks are increasingly automated, shifting the demand for human capital. To succeed, actively seek internships outside the immediate Huntsville area in diverse industries like petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, or consumer goods, and consider specializing in areas like sustainable engineering or bioprocesses that complement the local high-tech ecosystem.

AI Outlook Integration

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.

Pessimistic
Mass Automation
$581K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score53/100
Earnings Multiple12.3x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$641K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score55/100
Earnings Multiple13.6x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$657K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score56/100
Earnings Multiple14.0x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to University of Alabama in Huntsville's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.

Career Paths

Where Chemical Engineering graduates typically work

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.

1
Architectural and engineering managers
+3.8% 10-yr growth · 14,500 openings/yr
$167,740/yr
Moderate
2
Chemical engineers
+2.6% 10-yr growth · 1,100 openings/yr
$121,860/yr
Moderate
3
Engineers, all other
+2.1% 10-yr growth · 9,300 openings/yr
$117,750/yr
Moderate
4
Bioengineers and biomedical engineers
+5.2% 10-yr growth · 1,300 openings/yr
$106,950/yr
High
5
Engineering teachers, postsecondary
+8.1% 10-yr growth · 4,100 openings/yr
$106,120/yr
High
Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. AI exposure from OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs and Felten AIOE research.
Compare & Explore

Peer schools offering Chemical Engineering

How University of Alabama in Huntsville stacks up against other schools offering this major.

Highest earnings
Rice University
TX · Private nonprofit
64
DW Score
$88K
1-yr earn
4.1x
ROI
The University of Texas at Austin
TX · Public
76
DW Score
$87K
1-yr earn
22.7x
ROI
Top score
Lamar University
TX · Public
77
DW Score
$87K
1-yr earn
30.8x
ROI
University of Florida
FL · Public
77
DW Score
$87K
1-yr earn
40.0x
ROI
Texas A & M University-College Station
TX · Public
76
DW Score
$86K
1-yr earn
22.6x
ROI
Also at University of Alabama in Huntsville

Other top programs at University of Alabama in Huntsville

Other highest-scoring programs offered at University of Alabama in Huntsville, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

FAQ

Frequently asked about Chemical Engineering at University of Alabama in Huntsville

What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Chemical Engineering at University of Alabama in Huntsville?

This program scores 55/100 — a respectable number in isolation, but it ranks in the bottom half of Chemical Engineering programs nationally. The field is competitive, and stronger options exist.

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 $581,215 in decade earnings vs $657,080 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.

Can you still earn well with Chemical Engineering from University of Alabama in Huntsville?

First-year earnings trail the national median, but starting salary isn't the full picture. Regional cost of living, career trajectory, and tuition cost all factor in. Check the five-year earnings data when available.