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Engineering · Chemical Engineering Rank #10 of 158

Chemical Engineeringat University of Arkansas

Graduates earn $75,102/yr in their first year — about 4.0% above the national Chemical Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $925K; scenarios range from $790K to $972K depending on AI disruption.

Fayetteville, AR Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
75 STRONG
76
Optimistic
72
Pessimistic
Earnings
$75,102
1-year post-graduation
ROI
25.0x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$925K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
High
54% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at University of Arkansas

The University of Arkansas's Chemical Engineering program consistently places graduates into demanding roles, reflecting its strong curriculum and established industry connections. While Fayetteville itself isn't a chemical industry epicenter, the program effectively channels students into regional and national opportunities across diverse sectors like energy, food processing, materials science, and manufacturing. Its public university foundation fosters a pragmatic, hands-on approach that appeals to employers seeking engineers ready for real-world process design, optimization, and R&D challenges. Many alumni find themselves at major corporations throughout the South and Midwest, valuing the program's rigor and the strong problem-solving skills instilled. To maximize your career trajectory, actively pursue multiple internships early on; these experiences are invaluable for navigating the evolving landscape of the field and distinguishing your profile.

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
$790K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score72/100
Earnings Multiple20.3x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$925K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score75/100
Earnings Multiple23.7x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$972K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score76/100
Earnings Multiple24.9x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to University of Arkansas'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 Arkansas 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 Arkansas

Other top programs at University of Arkansas

Other highest-scoring programs offered at University of Arkansas, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

FAQ

Frequently asked about Chemical Engineering at University of Arkansas

What does a 75/100 DegreeOutlook Score mean for Chemical Engineering at University of Arkansas?

At 75/100, this is a high-performing program. The DegreeOutlook Score combines earnings, AI resilience, and ROI — and this program delivers on all three.

Should I worry about AI if I study Chemical Engineering at University of Arkansas?

The 48% AI task exposure score is above average. Our model shows this affecting job availability more than salaries — graduates may face stiffer competition for fewer positions.