Chemical Engineeringat University of Delaware
Graduates earn $80,564/yr in their first year — about 11.0% above the national Chemical Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $844K; scenarios range from $730K to $882K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at University of Delaware
Graduates earn $80,564/yr, edging above the $72,288 national average for Chemical Engineering — a modest premium that suggests solid regional demand.
Every dollar of in-state tuition returns an estimated 13.1x 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 17% gap from the optimistic case.
At $26,000 in median debt against $80,564 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance in under six months of full earnings.
At #60 of 158 Chemical Engineering programs, University of Delaware scores above the median — competitive but not a standout.
Five-year earnings of $94,396 are relatively flat compared to the $80,564 starting salary — typical of fields with stable but capped salary bands.
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 Delaware'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 Delaware stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at University of Delaware
Other highest-scoring programs offered at University of Delaware, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Frequently asked about Chemical Engineering at University of Delaware
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Chemical Engineering at University of Delaware?
This program scores 71/100 — placing it among the stronger programs for Chemical Engineering nationally. The score reflects above-average earnings, manageable AI risk, and solid financial return.
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 $730,445 in decade earnings vs $881,922 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.