Program directoryPROGRAM-CATEGORY PAYOFF

Chemical Engineering bachelor's degree outcomes at Cornell University

Ithaca, NY · Private nonprofit · Federal field 1407

Data scope

Federal records group outcomes by college, four-digit field and credential level. A record may cover several catalog programs or concentrations.

The short version

Reported earnings are notably above the same-degree benchmark.

$18,007 above the national median for the same field and credential.

Debt pressure
12.4% of annual earnings
Positive-payoff price ceiling
$132,913 / year
10-year scenario
+141% · Strong payoff
Price evidence
College-wide context only
PRICE SENSITIVITY

The price can change the verdict.

Hold observed earnings constant and see how the modeled ten-year payoff changes as annual price rises.

What stays fixed$116,165 observed annual earnings · 4 years of study · $45,000 alternative annual earnings · ten-year horizonThe marked price is this college’s institution-wide average net price, not the exact price of this program category. This is a sensitivity test, not a tuition quote or earnings forecast.
OUTCOME SIGNALS

Graduate outcomes from several angles.

Follow earnings over time and inspect the cohort behind each federal measure.

+38%Earnings growth, year 1 → 5$85,578$118,510
Not availableEarn above high-school thresholdGraduate count in the year-4 cohort
Not availableWorking in the college’s stateGraduate count in the year-4 cohort
65Year-5 earnings observationsCohort behind the year-5 median
48Borrowers representedCohort behind the debt median
Not availableAwarding-school debtDebt attributed to the college granting the credential
Not availableRecent awardsIPEDS 2023–24 first-major completions in this field and credential
NEW FEDERAL PROGRAM CONTEXT

Size, aid and an earnings floor.

The Department of Education’s 2026 informational preview adds current program participation and a preliminary earnings comparison. It does not make a final eligibility determination.

80Students receiving federal aid2024–25 Title IV enrollment
25Federal-aid completers2024–25 program completers
31Pell Grant recipients2024–25 program count
32Federal loan borrowers2024–25 unduplicated count
Preliminary federal earnings benchmark$34,808Informational preview, not a final accountability result
Observed year-4 earnings$116,165$81,357 above the preliminary benchmark

Additional borrowing reported for this category: 15 Parent PLUS borrowers.

Source: U.S. Department of Education PPD:2026 informational preview. Program categories use OPEID, four-digit field and credential level; federal-aid counts do not represent every enrolled student.

01 · PRICE CONTEXT$28,690

Institution-wide annual average net price, not this program’s price.

02 · BORROWING$14,361

Median federal debt across schools attended at this academic level.

03 · EARNINGS$116,165

Observed median earnings four full years after completion.

04 · REPAYMENT$152/mo

Estimated standard 10-year federal payment.

WHAT WILL IT COST?

Published college costs provide the starting point.

Your exact offering, aid, residency and time to finish determine the price you actually pay.

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AVERAGE NET PRICE$28,690Institution-wide annual figure
COST OF ATTENDANCE$88,140Institution-wide annual budget
ADMISSION RATE8.8%Institution context
COMPLETION RATE95.4%Institution-wide completion rate
WHAT DO GRADUATES EARN?

Reported earnings after completion.

Each point may represent a different federal cohort. A missing bar means the figure was unavailable or suppressed.

$85,578Year 1
$116,165Year 4
$118,510Year 5
CAN THE EARNINGS SUPPORT THE DEBT?

1.6% of gross monthly earnings

Estimated monthly payment divided by observed gross monthly earnings. This excludes taxes, other debts and income-driven repayment.

Gross monthly earnings$9,680
Estimated loan payment$152
48borrowers represented where reported
HOW DOES IT COMPARE?

$116,165 vs. $98,158

$18,007 above the national median for the same field and credential.

Same-field national median
WHAT WORK CAN IT LEAD TO?

Related occupations, wages and outlook.

Official CIP–SOC links show careers the curriculum may prepare students for, not observed jobs held by this school’s graduates. BLS wages describe everyone working in an occupation.

BLS May 2025 wage estimates and 2025–35 employment projections.
Architectural and Engineering Managers$175,710 median wageNY estimate · 8,250 jobs · 11-9041+5.5% projected U.S. growth · 14.9k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeChemical Engineers$129,060 median wageNY estimate · 540 jobs · 17-2041+4.7% projected U.S. growth · 1.1k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeEngineering Teachers, Postsecondary$106,240 median wageNY estimate · 3,240 jobs · 25-1032+7.8% projected U.S. growth · 3.9k openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeEngineers, All Other$117,600 median wageNY estimate · 5,760 jobs · 17-2199+3.7% projected U.S. growth · 8.8k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeBioengineers and Biomedical Engineers$104,010 median wageNY estimate · 840 jobs · 17-2031+7.6% projected U.S. growth · 1.2k openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degree
Possible alternatives

Same degree, stronger on at least one reported measure.

Every option below reports higher earnings, lower federal debt or a lower college-wide net price. Same-state options appear first.

New York, NY

CUNY City College

$236 less debt · $24,914 lower annual net price

Earnings
$88,659
Debt
$14,125
Annual net price
$3,776
View outcomes →
New York, NY

The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art

$15,421 lower annual net price

Earnings
$100,191
Debt
Not available
Annual net price
$13,269
View outcomes →
Riverdale, NY

Manhattan University

$1,434 lower annual net price

Earnings
$96,134
Debt
$26,503
Annual net price
$27,256
View outcomes →
Buffalo, NY

University at Buffalo

$7,695 lower annual net price

Earnings
$95,424
Debt
$23,161
Annual net price
$20,995
View outcomes →
Compare these programs →
DATA QUALITY

Check the evidence behind the estimate.

65 observations in the earnings cohort

June 10, 2026 College Scorecard release

Observed, estimated and contextual figures are labeled separately throughout this page

IS IT WORTH IT AT YOUR PRICE?

Your price and current earnings determine the result.

Add your grants, borrowing and current salary to estimate payment pressure, break-even time and ten-year payoff.

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