Program Analysis
Graduates earn $69,875/yr, roughly in line with the $72,288 national median for Chemical Engineering. The value proposition here depends on cost, not earnings.
The 21.3x 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.
With first-year pay of $69,875 far exceeding the $22,354 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.
Ranked #56 out of 158 programs, West Virginia University's Chemical Engineering offering sits in the upper half but doesn't break into the top tier.
The five-year earnings trajectory from $69,875 to $89,812 shows 29% growth, reflecting steady but unremarkable salary progression.