Chemical Engineering: Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus vs North Carolina State University at Raleigh

Side-by-side ROI comparison · Bachelor's Degree
Return on Investment
10-year earnings ÷ tuition · higher is better
In-State
19.1x
$47,056 tuition
26.1x
$35,580 tuition
Out-of-State
6.9x
$131,504 tuition
7.3x
$127,068 tuition
$900,958 10-yr earnings · Public
$927,631 10-yr earnings · Public

Head-to-Head

Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus North Carolina State University at Raleigh
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 19.1x 26.1x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 6.9x 7.3x
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $47,056 $35,580
Year 1 Earnings $85,847 $81,492
10-Year Earnings $901K $928K
Median Debt $26,250 $21,155
Debt-to-Earnings Ratio 3.7 months 3.1 months
DegreeWorth Score (In-State) 67/100 69/100
Acceptance Rate 16.5% 39.9%

Both programs have high AI automation risk (48% task exposure) — the same career paths apply to Chemical Engineering graduates regardless of school. See full AI analysis →

ROI Breakdown

How tuition costs translate into long-term earnings for Chemical Engineering graduates.

Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus North Carolina State University at Raleigh
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $47,056 $35,580
4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) $131,504 $127,068
10-Year Projected Earnings $901K $928K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 19.1x 26.1x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 6.9x 7.3x
5-Year Salary Growth +18% +27%

"Earnings Multiple" = projected 10-year earnings ÷ 4-year tuition. Higher is better. Not a discounted financial ROI.

AI Disruption Scenarios

Both schools share identical AI exposure for Chemical Engineering (same career paths). The score differences below reflect how each school's earnings and ROI hold up under stress.

Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus North Carolina State University at Raleigh
Optim. Base Pessim. Optim. Base Pessim.
10-Year Earnings $945K $901K $772K $975K $928K $792K
Earnings Multiple (IS) 20.1x 19.1x 16.4x 27.4x 26.1x 22.3x
DegreeWorth Score 70 67 61 71 69 64

For the full AI analysis of Chemical Engineering career paths, see the Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus or North Carolina State University at Raleigh program pages.

Earnings Trajectory Comparison

Projected annual earnings for Chemical Engineering graduates. Year 1 uses actual reported data.

Tuition Gap (In-State)
$11,476
North Carolina State University at Raleigh saves you this
Year 1 Earnings Gap
$4,355/yr
Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus grads earn more
ROI Range (In-State)
19.1x / 26.1x
Out-of-state: 6.9x / 7.3x

Career Paths

Chemical Engineering graduates from both schools map to the same career paths. Differences in earnings reflect school prestige, location, and employer networks.

Career Path Wage Openings/yr Growth AI Risk
Architectural and engineering managers $167,740 14,500 +3.8% 41%
Chemical engineers $121,860 1,100 +2.6% 46%
Engineers, all other $117,750 9,300 +2.1% 46%
Bioengineers and biomedical engineers $106,950 1,300 +5.2% 59%
Engineering teachers, postsecondary $106,120 4,100 +8.1% 50%
Want to compare different schools or majors? Try the freeform comparison tool →

Explore Each Program

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for Chemical Engineering: Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus or North Carolina State University at Raleigh?
Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus scores 67/100 while North Carolina State University at Raleigh scores 69/100. North Carolina State University at Raleigh has significantly lower tuition, which drives its higher ROI. The best choice depends on whether you prioritize raw earnings or return on investment.
Which school has better ROI for Chemical Engineering?
Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus has an in-state earnings multiple of 19.1x vs North Carolina State University at Raleigh's 26.1x. That means North Carolina State University at Raleigh grads earn more per dollar spent on tuition.
How do Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus and North Carolina State University at Raleigh compare on Chemical Engineering earnings?
Year 1 median earnings are $85,847 at Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus vs $81,492 at North Carolina State University at Raleigh. Over 10 years, the projected totals are $900,958 vs $927,631 — a difference of $26,673.
How much does Chemical Engineering cost at each school?
Four-year in-state tuition is $47,056 at Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus and $35,580 at North Carolina State University at Raleigh. Median debt at graduation is $26,250 vs $21,155. Both programs lead to the same Chemical Engineering career paths — the cost difference is the main factor in ROI.
Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024-2034 (employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE. Scenarios use a continuous weighting function combining AI exposure and BLS job growth projections. "Earnings Multiple" is total 10-year projected earnings divided by tuition — not a discounted financial ROI. Last updated 2025.