Program Analysis
Graduates earn $68,245/yr, roughly in line with the $72,288 national median for Chemical Engineering. The value proposition here depends on cost, not earnings.
The 14.8x 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.
With first-year pay of $68,245 far exceeding the $17,182 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.
At #85 out of 158 programs, University of California-Riverside's financial outcomes for Chemical Engineering trail the majority of peers. The value case depends on other factors.
The five-year earnings trajectory from $68,245 to $90,784 shows 33% growth, reflecting steady but unremarkable salary progression.