Home Schools University of Florida Chemical Engineering
Engineering · Chemical Engineering Rank #1 of 158

Chemical Engineeringat University of Florida

Graduates earn $87,164/yr in their first year — about 21.0% above the national Chemical Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $926K; scenarios range from $790K to $972K depending on AI disruption.

Gainesville, FL Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
77 STRONG
78
Optimistic
74
Pessimistic
Earnings
$87,164
1-year post-graduation
ROI
40.0x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$926K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
High
54% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at University of Florida

The University of Florida's Chemical Engineering program consistently places its graduates in highly competitive roles, a testament to its rigorous curriculum and the university's robust reputation in engineering. You'll benefit from well-established recruiting pipelines into diverse industries across Florida and the Southeast, including advanced manufacturing, aerospace materials, and a growing biotech sector. This strong regional demand, coupled with UF's academic excellence, helps graduates secure positions in process optimization, product development, and management, driving impressive early career earnings. While the field faces evolving automation, the program likely emphasizes critical problem-solving and adaptable skills, crucial for navigating future industry shifts toward innovation and R&D. To maximize your prospects, actively pursue multiple internships and consider specializing in areas like biochemical or materials engineering to differentiate 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 Score74/100
Earnings Multiple31.0x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$926K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score77/100
Earnings Multiple36.3x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$972K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score78/100
Earnings Multiple38.1x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to University of Florida'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 Florida 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
Texas A & M University-College Station
TX · Public
76
DW Score
$86K
1-yr earn
22.6x
ROI
Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus
GA · Public
75
DW Score
$86K
1-yr earn
20.6x
ROI
Also at University of Florida

Other top programs at University of Florida

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

FAQ

Frequently asked about Chemical Engineering at University of Florida

How does University of Florida's Chemical Engineering program score?

A score of 77/100 indicates strong financial outcomes. University of Florida'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 Florida rank so high for Chemical Engineering?

The #1 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.