Chemical Engineeringat Washington State University
Graduates earn $69,820/yr in their first year — about 3.0% below the national Chemical Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $808K; scenarios range from $704K to $842K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at Washington State University
Graduates earn $69,820/yr, roughly in line with the $72,288 national median for Chemical Engineering. The value proposition here depends on cost, not earnings.
With a 15.5x return on in-state tuition over ten years, the financial case for this program is compelling by virtually any measure.
The 16% difference between AI scenarios reflects partial automation exposure. Some Chemical Engineering career paths face displacement, but others in the field are more insulated.
With first-year pay of $69,820 far exceeding the $22,500 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.
A #83 ranking among 158 Chemical Engineering programs places Washington State University in the lower half. Price, proximity, and personal fit become the stronger arguments.
A 26% earnings increase from $69,820 to $88,132 over five years is solid — not a moonshot, but evidence of normal career advancement.
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 Washington State University'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 Washington State University stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at Washington State University
Other highest-scoring programs offered at Washington State University, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Frequently asked about Chemical Engineering at Washington State University
What does a 70/100 DegreeOutlook Score mean for Chemical Engineering at Washington State University?
At 70/100, the score looks reasonable — but Chemical Engineering is a high-scoring field overall. Compared to peers, this program's earnings and ROI fall below the median.
Should I worry about AI if I study Chemical Engineering at Washington State University?
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.