Home Schools West Virginia University Institute of Technology Chemical Engineering
Engineering · Chemical Engineering Rank #45 of 158

Chemical Engineeringat West Virginia University Institute of Technology

Graduates earn $69,875/yr in their first year — about 3.0% below the national Chemical Engineering average. Base-case 10-year earnings $824K; scenarios range from $716K to $860K depending on AI disruption.

Beckley, WV Public Bachelor's Degree
DegreeOutlook Score
73 STRONG
74
Optimistic
71
Pessimistic
Earnings
$69,875
1-year post-graduation
ROI
26.8x
Earnings : in-state tuition
10-yr Base
$824K
Cumulative base-case earnings
AI Risk
High
54% task exposure
Program Analysis

What this degree looks like at West Virginia University Institute of Technology

Graduates earn $69,875/yr, roughly in line with the $72,288 national median for Chemical Engineering. The value proposition here depends on cost, not earnings.

With a 25.5x return on in-state tuition over ten years, the financial case for this program is compelling by virtually any measure.

The 17% 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 $69,875 far exceeding the $22,354 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.

A #45 ranking among 158 Chemical Engineering programs places West Virginia University Institute of Technology in the middle-to-upper range. Solid, not exceptional.

A 29% earnings increase from $69,875 to $89,812 over five years is solid — not a moonshot, but evidence of normal career advancement.

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
$716K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score71/100
Earnings Multiple22.2x
Base Case
Moderate Integration
$824K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score73/100
Earnings Multiple25.5x
Optimistic
AI Augmentation
$860K
10-year cumulative earnings
Scenario Score74/100
Earnings Multiple26.7x
Earnings Trajectory

10 year projection

Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to West Virginia University Institute of Technology'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 West Virginia University Institute of Technology 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
University of Florida
FL · Public
77
DW Score
$87K
1-yr earn
40.0x
ROI
Texas A & M University-College Station
TX · Public
76
DW Score
$86K
1-yr earn
22.6x
ROI
Also at West Virginia University Institute of Technology

Other top programs at West Virginia University Institute of Technology

Other highest-scoring programs offered at West Virginia University Institute of Technology, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.

FAQ

Frequently asked about Chemical Engineering at West Virginia University Institute of Technology

What does a 73/100 DegreeOutlook Score mean for Chemical Engineering at West Virginia University Institute of Technology?

At 73/100, this is a high-performing program. The DegreeOutlook Score combines earnings, AI resilience, and ROI — and this program delivers on all three.

Should I worry about AI if I study Chemical Engineering at West Virginia University Institute of Technology?

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.