[College research](/) / [Rankings](/rankings/) # Best Chemical Engineering Programs in New York (2026) Updated September 30, 2026 Part of [Best Engineering Colleges in New York](/rankings/best-engineering-colleges-in-new-york/) This page ranks the 13 Chemical Engineering programs in New York by the median earnings of Chemical Engineering graduates four years after completing, highest first. [Cornell University](/school/cornell-university/majors/) leads the list with median earnings of $116,165 for its graduates four years after completing. Across the listed programs, the figure ranges from $116,165 to $75,204, with a median of $93,614. For 1 of the 13 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one. The list includes 3 public and 10 private nonprofit institutions. Stony Brook University ranks 45th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, the best on the page. CUNY City College reports the lowest average net price, at $3,776. ## The ranked list 13 schools in list order | Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 1 | Cornell University · Ithaca, NY | $116,165 | $28,690 | $1,776 | 8.8% | | | [Cornell University](/school/cornell-university/majors/) reports [$116,165 in median earnings](/school/cornell-university/outcomes/) for its Chemical Engineering graduates four years after completing, alongside an admission rate of 9%. | | 2 | The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art · New York, NY | $100,191 | $13,269 | $3,749 | 20.7% | | | [The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art](/school/the-cooper-union-for-the-advancement-of-science-and-art/majors/) ranks 2nd on this list, with [median earnings of $100,191](/school/the-cooper-union-for-the-advancement-of-science-and-art/outcomes/) for its Chemical Engineering graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $13,269. | | 3 | Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute · Troy, NY | $98,679 | $36,228 | $24,078 | 63.5% | | | [Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute](/school/rensselaer-polytechnic-institute/majors/) posts [median earnings of $98,679](/school/rensselaer-polytechnic-institute/outcomes/) for its Chemical Engineering graduates four years after completing, with median federal debt of $24,985 among Chemical Engineering completers who borrowed. | | 4 | Manhattan University · Riverdale, NY | $96,134 | $27,256 | $27,281 | 78.9% | | | [Manhattan University](/school/manhattan-university/majors/) [admits 79% of applicants](/school/manhattan-university/admissions/) and reports median earnings of $96,134 for its Chemical Engineering graduates four years after completing. | | 5 | University at Buffalo · Buffalo, NY | $95,424 | $20,995 | $14,668 | 74.2% | | | [University at Buffalo](/school/university-at-buffalo/majors/), a public university in Buffalo, reports [median earnings of $95,424](/school/university-at-buffalo/outcomes/) for its Chemical Engineering graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $20,995. | | 6 | Rochester Institute of Technology · Rochester, NY | $94,641 | $34,906 | $24,680 | 66.9% | | | [Rochester Institute of Technology](/school/rochester-institute-of-technology/majors/) ranks 6th on this list, with [median earnings of $94,641](/school/rochester-institute-of-technology/outcomes/) for its Chemical Engineering graduates four years after completing and a median federal debt of $30,750 among Chemical Engineering completers who borrowed. | | 7 | Clarkson University · Potsdam, NY | $93,614 | $30,305 | $21,335 | 77.4% | | | [Clarkson University](/school/clarkson-university/majors/) reports [median earnings of $93,614](/school/clarkson-university/outcomes/) for its Chemical Engineering graduates four years after completing, with an average net price of $30,305. | | 8 | University of Rochester · Rochester, NY | $92,102 | $29,278 | $9,678 | 40.1% | | | [University of Rochester](/school/university-of-rochester/majors/) ranks 8th on this list, with [median earnings of $92,102](/school/university-of-rochester/outcomes/) for its Chemical Engineering graduates four years after completing and an admission rate of 40%. | | 9 | New York University · New York, NY | $89,744 | $37,050 | $16,977 | 9.2% | | | [New York University](/school/new-york-university/majors/) reports [median earnings of $89,744](/school/new-york-university/outcomes/) for its Chemical Engineering graduates four years after completing, with median federal debt of $24,125 among Chemical Engineering completers who borrowed. | | 10 | CUNY City College · New York, NY | $88,659 | $3,776 | $1,251 | 60.0% | | | [CUNY City College](/school/cuny-city-college/majors/) ranks 10th on this list, with [median earnings of $88,659](/school/cuny-city-college/outcomes/) for its Chemical Engineering graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $3,776. | | 11 | Stony Brook University · Stony Brook, NY | $88,593 | $18,784 | $12,943 | 49.0% | | | [Stony Brook University](/school/stony-brook-university/majors/) reports [median earnings of $88,593](/school/stony-brook-university/outcomes/) for its Chemical Engineering graduates four years after completing, with an admission rate of 49%. | | 12 | Syracuse University · Syracuse, NY | $87,529 | $38,793 | $15,817 | 45.9% | | | [Syracuse University](/school/syracuse-university/majors/) ranks 12th on this list, with [median earnings of $87,529](/school/syracuse-university/outcomes/) for its Chemical Engineering graduates four years after completing and a median federal debt of $27,000 among Chemical Engineering completers who borrowed. | | 13 | Columbia University in the City of New York · New York, NY | $75,204 | $21,590 | $4,570 | 4.0% | | | [Columbia University in the City of New York](/school/columbia-university-in-the-city-of-new-york/majors/), a private nonprofit university in New York, [admits 4% of applicants](/school/columbia-university-in-the-city-of-new-york/admissions/) and reports median earnings of $75,204 for its Chemical Engineering graduates four years after completing. | ## How this list is ordered Programs are ordered by the median earnings of their Chemical Engineering graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only programs with a reported earnings cohort in New York appear. The figure is the median for federally aided completers of the program who were working and not enrolled, measured four years after completing. For 1 of the 13 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one. The metric does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The spread from Cornell University to the bottom of the list is $40,961. ## Job market context in New York Graduates of Chemical Engineering programs in New York enter a labor market linked to occupations such as Engineers, All Other and Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary. The median annual wage across those occupations is $110,119, and a quarter of workers in those occupations earn less than $85,556. More projected openings than graduates: about 248 openings a year for every hundred graduates. Projections for 2024 to 2034 put employment in those occupations about 3.2% higher. Wages and top occupations exclude management occupations; openings include them. The ranking above uses graduate earnings four years after completing, which are not the same measure as the occupational wage figures shown here. ## Related rankings - [Chemical Engineering Programs in the United States](/rankings/best-chemical-engineering-programs/) - [Best Colleges in New York](/rankings/best-colleges-in-new-york/) - [Best Chemical Engineering Programs in California](/rankings/best-chemical-engineering-programs-in-california/) - [Best Chemical Engineering Programs in Michigan](/rankings/best-chemical-engineering-programs-in-michigan/) - Chemical Engineering Programs in Alabama - [Best Engineering Colleges in New York](/rankings/best-engineering-colleges-in-new-york/)