Chemical Engineeringat University of California-Los Angeles
Graduates earn $76,680/yr in their first year — about 6.0% above the national Chemical Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $957K; scenarios range from $814K to $1,007K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at UCLA
UCLA's Chemical Engineering program leverages its prime Los Angeles location and elite reputation to open significant career doors. Being at the heart of Southern California means direct access to a diverse industrial landscape, from burgeoning biotech and pharmaceutical companies to aerospace giants, advanced materials manufacturing, and even entertainment technology firms. This dense regional market, combined with UCLA's strong research focus and rigorous curriculum, creates robust recruiting pipelines. You'll find yourself well-prepared for roles in process optimization, product development, R&D, and management, often at leading-edge companies. Given the field's evolving nature and high AI risk, strategically pursuing internships in interdisciplinary areas like biomaterials or sustainable energy will be key to future-proofing your expertise.
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 UCLA'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 UCLA stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at UCLA
Other highest-scoring programs offered at UCLA, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Frequently asked about Chemical Engineering at UCLA
How does University of California-Los Angeles's Chemical Engineering program score?
A score of 73/100 indicates strong financial outcomes. University of California-Los Angeles's Chemical Engineering graduates fare well on earnings, job market size, and return on investment.
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 does University of California-Los Angeles rank so high for Chemical Engineering?
The #30 ranking out of 158 programs is driven by strong financial outcomes — graduates earn well, debt is manageable relative to income, and the job market supports the field.