Chemical Engineering at University of California-San Diego
La Jolla, CA · Bachelor's Degree · about 101 graduates a year
University of California-San Diego graduates in chemical engineering earn 1% less than the national median for the same major four years after graduating. Their median federal debt equals about 19% of one year’s pay at that point.
How University of California-San Diego Compares for Chemical Engineering
All 158 colleges reporting chemical engineering earnings at this degree level, ranked by median pay four years after graduation. “Wage-adjusted” divides pay by the square root of the state’s wage index so colleges in low-wage states aren’t penalized for local pay.
| # | College | 4 yrs after | Wage-adjusted | Adj. rank | 1 yr after |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology Cambridge, MA | $122,093 | $107,516 | #38 | $80,139 |
| 2 | Vanderbilt University Nashville, TN | $121,641 | $132,880 | #1 | $75,639 |
| 3 | University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, CA | $121,027 | $110,127 | #32 | $81,553 |
| 4 | Cornell University Ithaca, NY | $116,165 | $110,565 | #30 | $85,578 |
| 5 | Lafayette College Easton, PA | $115,726 | $117,694 | #7 | $79,602 |
| 6 | The University of Texas at Austin Austin, TX | $115,423 | $117,351 | #9 | $87,365 |
| 7 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Baton Rouge, LA | $114,226 | $132,225 | #2 | $74,786 |
| 8 | University of Notre Dame Notre Dame, IN | $113,614 | $121,887 | #4 | $83,377 |
| 9 | Rice University Houston, TX | $113,605 | $115,503 | #13 | $87,830 |
| 10 | University of California-Santa Barbara Santa Barbara, CA | $113,317 | $103,111 | #54 | $79,737 |
| … | |||||
| 77 | University of Cincinnati-Main Campus Cincinnati, OH | $97,220 | $103,748 | #50 | $82,372 |
| 78 | University of Dayton Dayton, OH | $97,184 | $103,710 | #51 | $79,865 |
| 79 | University of New Mexico-Main Campus Albuquerque, NM | $96,810 | $112,091 | #25 | $62,907 |
| 80 | University of California-San Diego La Jolla, CA | $96,798 | $88,080 | #130 | $59,508 |
| 81 | Case Western Reserve University Cleveland, OH | $96,533 | $103,015 | #55 | $83,706 |
| 82 | West Virginia University Institute of Technology Beckley, WV | $96,503 | $114,168 | #17 | $69,875 |
| 83 | West Virginia University Morgantown, WV | $96,503 | $114,168 | #18 | $69,875 |
Other Majors at University of California-San Diego by Graduate Pay
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do University of California-San Diego chemical engineering graduates make?
Graduates earn a median $59,508 one year after graduating and $96,798 four years after graduating. Figures are from the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard.
How does University of California-San Diego rank for chemical engineering?
Among 158 colleges reporting earnings for chemical engineering graduates, University of California-San Diego ranks #80 by median pay four years after graduation, and #130 after adjusting for state wage levels.
Is chemical engineering at University of California-San Diego worth it?
Its graduates earn 1% less than the national median for chemical engineering ($98,158), and the median federal debt at graduation is $18,500.
← All data for University of California-San Diego · Methodology
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study data. Earnings are medians for graduates who received federal aid and were working and not enrolled; programs with few graduates are not reported. Wage adjustment uses Census ACS state median household income.