Program Analysis
Starting salaries of $60,300/yr fall 17% below the $72,288 national median for Chemical Engineering. The financial case depends heavily on whether tuition compensates.
The 20.3x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.
AI risk is moderate — 48% task exposure — and the 17% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.
At $13,500 in median debt against $60,300 in first-year earnings, graduates can expect to clear their loan balance in under six months of full earnings.
At #95 out of 158 programs, Tennessee Technological University's financial outcomes for Chemical Engineering trail the majority of peers. The value case depends on other factors.
The five-year earnings trajectory from $60,300 to $86,320 shows 43% growth, reflecting steady but unremarkable salary progression.