Chemical Engineeringat University of Colorado Boulder
Graduates earn $70,359/yr in their first year — about 3.0% below the national Chemical Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $1,091K; scenarios range from $912K to $1,156K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at University of Colorado Boulder
University of Colorado Boulder's Chemical Engineering program produces graduates earning $70,359/yr — within striking distance of the $72,288 national average for this field.
With a 16.6x return on in-state tuition over ten years, the financial case for this program is compelling by virtually any measure.
The 21% difference between AI scenarios reflects partial automation exposure. Some Chemical Engineering career paths face displacement, but others in the field are more insulated.
Loan repayment is a non-issue here — $23,650 in median debt clears quickly against $70,359 in annual earnings.
A #48 ranking among 158 Chemical Engineering programs places University of Colorado Boulder in the middle-to-upper range. Solid, not exceptional.
The $70,359-to-$115,257 earnings arc over five years reflects a 64% gain — well above average career growth for recent graduates.
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 Colorado Boulder'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 Colorado Boulder stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at University of Colorado Boulder
Other highest-scoring programs offered at University of Colorado Boulder, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Frequently asked about Chemical Engineering at University of Colorado Boulder
What does a 72/100 DegreeOutlook Score mean for Chemical Engineering at University of Colorado Boulder?
At 72/100, 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 Colorado Boulder?
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.