Chemical Engineering: North Carolina A & T State University vs University of Wisconsin-Madison

Side-by-side ROI comparison · Bachelor's Degree
Return on Investment
10-year earnings ÷ tuition · higher is better
In-State
28.1x
$26,992 tuition
19.1x
$44,820 tuition
Out-of-State
9.3x
$81,632 tuition
5.3x
$162,412 tuition
$78,323/yr starting · Public
$85,945/yr starting · Public

Head-to-Head

North Carolina A & T State University University of Wisconsin-Madison
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 28.1x 19.1x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 9.3x 5.3x
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $26,992 $44,820
Year 1 Earnings $78,323 $85,945
10-Year Earnings $757K $858K
Median Debt $23,272 $21,638
Debt-to-Earnings Ratio 3.6 months 3.0 months
DegreeWorth Score (In-State) 73/100 73/100
Acceptance Rate 46.2% 43.4%

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.

North Carolina A & T State University University of Wisconsin-Madison
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $26,992 $44,820
4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) $81,632 $162,412
10-Year Projected Earnings $757K $858K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 28.1x 19.1x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 9.3x 5.3x
5-Year Salary Growth +11% +19%

"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.

North Carolina A & T State University University of Wisconsin-Madison
Optim. Base Pessim. Optim. Base Pessim.
10-Year Earnings $888K $757K $582K $1,050K $858K $638K
Earnings Multiple (IS) 32.9x 28.1x 21.5x 23.4x 19.1x 14.2x
DegreeWorth Score 75 73 68 74 73 67

For the full AI analysis of Chemical Engineering career paths, see the North Carolina A & T State University or University of Wisconsin-Madison program pages.

Earnings Trajectory Comparison

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

Tuition Gap (In-State)
$17,828
North Carolina A & T State University saves you this
Year 1 Earnings Gap
$7,622/yr
University of Wisconsin-Madison grads earn more
ROI Range (In-State)
28.1x / 19.1x
Out-of-state: 9.3x / 5.3x

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%

Explore Each Program

More Chemical Engineering Comparisons

Chemical Engineering Overview

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for Chemical Engineering: North Carolina A & T State University or University of Wisconsin-Madison?
North Carolina A & T State University scores 73/100 while University of Wisconsin-Madison scores 73/100. North Carolina A & T State University 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?
North Carolina A & T State University has an in-state earnings multiple of 28.1x vs University of Wisconsin-Madison's 19.1x. That means North Carolina A & T State University grads earn more per dollar spent on tuition.
How do North Carolina A & T State University and University of Wisconsin-Madison compare on Chemical Engineering earnings?
Year 1 median earnings are $78,323 at North Carolina A & T State University vs $85,945 at University of Wisconsin-Madison. Over 10 years, the projected totals are $757,458 vs $857,503 — a difference of $100,045.
How much does Chemical Engineering cost at each school?
Four-year in-state tuition is $26,992 at North Carolina A & T State University and $44,820 at University of Wisconsin-Madison. Median debt at graduation is $23,272 vs $21,638. 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.