Program Analysis
Graduates earn $73,479/yr, roughly in line with the $72,288 national median for Chemical Engineering. The value proposition here depends on cost, not earnings.
With a 16.0x return on in-state tuition over ten years, the financial case for this program is compelling by virtually any measure.
The 18% difference between AI scenarios reflects partial automation exposure. Some Chemical Engineering career paths face displacement, but others in the field are more insulated.
With first-year pay of $73,479 far exceeding the $21,000 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.
A #58 ranking among 158 Chemical Engineering programs places University of Arizona in the middle-to-upper range. Solid, not exceptional.
A 30% earnings increase from $73,479 to $95,730 over five years is solid — not a moonshot, but evidence of normal career advancement.