Chemical Engineeringat University of Rhode Island
Graduates earn $75,406/yr in their first year — about 4.0% above the national Chemical Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $809K; scenarios range from $705K to $844K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at University of Rhode Island
First-year earnings of $75,406 track close to the $72,288 national median for Chemical Engineering programs. This is a middle-of-the-road outcome on salary alone.
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 16% gap from the optimistic case.
At $26,816 in median debt against $75,406 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance in under six months of full earnings.
Ranked #93 of 158 Chemical Engineering programs, University of Rhode Island falls below the median. Stronger options exist, though cost and location may compensate.
Five-year earnings of $89,578 are relatively flat compared to the $75,406 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 Rhode Island'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 Rhode Island stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at University of Rhode Island
Other highest-scoring programs offered at University of Rhode Island, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Frequently asked about Chemical Engineering at University of Rhode Island
What is the DegreeOutlook Score for Chemical Engineering at University of Rhode Island?
This program scores 69/100 — 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 $705,069 in decade earnings vs $843,686 in the optimistic case — a meaningful gap.