How much do Chemical Engineering bachelor's degree graduates from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute earn?

The reported median is $98,679 four years after completion.

How much federal debt do graduates of this program have?

The reported median federal debt among borrowers is $25,332.

Is this program above or below similar programs?

Reported year-four earnings are 1% above the national median for the same field and degree level.

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COLLEGE + DEGREE OUTCOMES

Chemical Engineering bachelor's degree at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Troy, NY · Private nonprofit

What this page covers

Federal data group related majors at the same college and degree level. One record can include several named programs or concentrations.

The short version

Reported earnings are close to similar programs.

$521 above the national median for the same field and degree level.

Debt as a share of earnings: 25.7% of annual earnings
Highest price with a positive payoff: $89,198 / year
Modeled 10-year payoff: +65% · Positive payoff
Available price data: 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.

← Negative payoff$0Positive payoff →

$0Annual price+$356,790

$20,000Annual price+$276,790

$36,000Current college-wide context+$212,790

$40,000Annual price+$196,790

$60,000Annual price+$116,790

$80,000Annual price+$36,790

$100,000Annual price−$43,210

OUTCOME SIGNALS

Graduate outcomes from several angles.

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

+37%Earnings growth, year 1 → 5$78,263 → $107,062

Not availableEarn above high-school thresholdGraduate count in the year-4 cohort

30Working in the college’s stateGraduate count in the year-4 cohort

88Year-5 earnings observationsCohort behind the year-5 median

137Borrowers representedCohort behind the debt median

$69,687Awarding-school debtDebt attributed to the college granting the credential

Not availableRecent awardsIPEDS 2024–25 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.

133Students receiving federal aid2024–25 Title IV enrollment

33Federal-aid completers2024–25 program completers

33Pell Grant recipients2024–25 program count

93Federal loan borrowers2024–25 unduplicated count

92Graduates not recorded as employedHistorical federal cohort, three years after completion

Preliminary federal earnings benchmark$34,808Informational preview, not a final accountability result

Observed year-4 earnings$98,679$63,871 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. Completion and employment measures use older cohorts shown above and are not combined into the payoff estimate.

01 · PRICE CONTEXT$36,228

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

02 · BORROWING$25,332

Median federal debt across schools attended at this academic level.

03 · EARNINGS$98,679

Observed median earnings four full years after completion.

04 · REPAYMENT$269/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.

Enter my price →

AVERAGE NET PRICE$36,228Institution-wide annual figure

COST OF ATTENDANCE$82,404Institution-wide annual budget

ADMISSION RATE63.5%Institution context

COMPLETION RATE83.6%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.

$78,263Year 1

$98,679Year 4

$107,062Year 5

CAN THE EARNINGS SUPPORT THE DEBT?

3.3% 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$8,223

Estimated loan payment$269

137borrowers represented where reported

HOW DOES IT COMPARE?

$98,679 vs. $98,158

$521 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$149,070–$215,140 middle 50% of NY wages+5.5% projected U.S. growth · 14,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeChemical Engineers$129,060 median wageNY estimate · 540 jobs · 17-2041$89,440–$145,670 middle 50% of NY wages+4.7% projected U.S. growth · 1,100 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeEngineering Teachers, Postsecondary$106,240 median wageNY estimate · 3,240 jobs · 25-1032$80,970–$152,210 middle 50% of NY wages+7.8% projected U.S. growth · 3,900 openings/yrTypical entry: Doctoral or professional degreeEngineers, All Other$117,600 median wageNY estimate · 5,760 jobs · 17-2199$94,400–$154,310 middle 50% of NY wages+3.7% projected U.S. growth · 8,800 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degreeBioengineers and Biomedical Engineers$104,010 median wageNY estimate · 840 jobs · 17-2031$91,680–$135,640 middle 50% of NY wages+7.6% projected U.S. growth · 1,200 openings/yrTypical entry: Bachelor's degree

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