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DOCTORAL DEGREE · DEGREE PAYOFF · FEDERAL FIELD 1407

Chemical Engineering: is this doctoral degree worth it?

National picture across 2 reporting college programs.

Personal baseline needed

$173,065 in median year-4 earnings

A credible return for this credential must start with what the student would otherwise earn. The federal data does not provide that personal baseline.

$173,065Median year-4 earnings

$18,955Average institution net-price context

Not availableMedian federal debt

Use your actual price and alternative earnings before evaluating return. Model your own starting point →

WHAT THIS DEGREE PAYS

Observed national outcomes

$173,065Median reported earnings · year 4

Not availableAverage reported earnings · year 5

Not availableMedian federal debt

94thYear-4 earnings percentile at this credential

2Reporting programs

2With year-4 earnings

COMPARE CREDENTIAL LEVELS

The same field can produce a different equation.

Keep the federal field fixed and compare observed outcomes at every reportable credential level. These are separate graduate cohorts—not a promise that more schooling causes the difference.

OPEN PROFILE

Bachelor's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $96,798
Federal debt: $23,274
Reporting programs: 159

159 report earnings →OPEN PROFILE

Master's Degree

Year-4 earnings: $114,037
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 11

11 report earnings →CURRENT VIEW

Doctoral Degree

Year-4 earnings: $173,065
Federal debt: Not available
Reporting programs: 2

2 report earnings →

COLLEGE-TO-COLLEGE RANGE

Where the middle half of programs lands

Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.

Median

25th percentile$161,693National median$173,06575th percentile$161,693

2 programs report year‑4 earnings.

WHERE OUTCOMES ARE STRONGEST

See the spread, not just the national number.

1Massachusetts Institute of Technology$184,436 2University of Delaware$161,693

Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking

WHERE THIS FIELD CAN LEAD

Related occupations

Official CIP–SOC links add career context without claiming that every graduate enters the same job.

Architectural and Engineering ManagersSOC 11-9041 · 3 crosswalk linksChemical EngineersSOC 17-2041 · 3 crosswalk linksEngineering Teachers, PostsecondarySOC 25-1032 · 3 crosswalk linksBioengineers and Biomedical EngineersSOC 17-2031 · 1 crosswalk linksEngineers, All OtherSOC 17-2199 · 1 crosswalk links

BEST COLLEGES FOR CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

Same degree, different outcomes

Compare reported outcomes using the same federal field and credential. Automated ROI is withheld when an exact program price or personal earnings baseline is required.

#	College	Location	Earnings, year 4	Federal debt	ROI status	Cost context
1	Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyDoctoral Degree	Cambridge, MA	$184,436	Not available	Baseline needed	$20,111
2	University of DelawareDoctoral Degree	Newark, DE	$161,693	Not available	Baseline needed	$17,799

This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.