Program Analysis
Graduates earn $75,340/yr, roughly in line with the $72,288 national median for Chemical Engineering. The value proposition here depends on cost, not earnings.
The 18.7x 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 $75,340 far exceeding the $26,990 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.
Ranked #34 out of 158 programs, University of Iowa's Chemical Engineering program lands in the top 5% — a strong signal of graduate success.
The five-year earnings trajectory from $75,340 to $90,804 shows 21% growth, reflecting steady but unremarkable salary progression.