Chemical Engineeringat University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus
Graduates earn $68,025/yr in their first year — about 6.0% below the national Chemical Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $860K; scenarios range from $742K to $900K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at UConn Waterbury
Graduates earn $68,025/yr, roughly in line with the $72,288 national median for Chemical Engineering. The value proposition here depends on cost, not earnings.
Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 12.3x in decade earnings — an exceptional ratio that places this among the highest-ROI Chemical Engineering programs nationally.
Some AI exposure exists in Chemical Engineering's typical career paths, with 48% of job tasks potentially affected. The pessimistic scenario still projects solid returns, with a 18% gap from the optimistic case.
With first-year pay of $68,025 far exceeding the $24,700 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.
Ranked #103 of 158 Chemical Engineering programs, University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus falls below the median. Stronger options exist, though cost and location may compensate.
Earnings grow from $68,025 to $92,965 over five years — a 37% increase that's moderate and in line with typical career 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 UConn Waterbury'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 UConn Waterbury stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at UConn Waterbury
Other highest-scoring programs offered at UConn Waterbury, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Frequently asked about Chemical Engineering at UConn Waterbury
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Chemical Engineering at University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus?
This program scores 67/100 — 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 $742,416 in decade earnings vs $899,958 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.