Best Chemical Engineering Programs in the South (2026)
Updated
Part of Best Engineering Colleges in the South
Regional list from Chemical Engineering Programs in the United States
This page ranks the 47 Chemical Engineering programs in the South by median earnings of Chemical Engineering graduates four years after completing. Vanderbilt University ranks 1st on this list, with median earnings of $121,641 for its graduates four years after completing.
Across the listed programs, the figure ranges from $121,641 to $66,821, with a median of $98,557. For 3 of the 47 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.
Public institutions account for 39 of the programs, or 83% of the list, alongside 8 private nonprofit schools. The University of Texas at Austin ranks 9th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions.
University of Florida posts the lowest average net price, at $6,541, while University of Mississippi reports the highest admission rate, admitting 97% of applicants.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vanderbilt University · Nashville, TN | $121,641 | $15,846 | $3,414 | 5.9% |
| Vanderbilt University ranks 1st on this list, reporting $121,641 in median earnings of Chemical Engineering graduates four years after completing from a cohort of 26 graduates. | |||||
| 2 | The University of Texas at Austin · Austin, TX | $115,423 | $19,857 | $12,553 | 26.6% |
| A public university in Austin, The University of Texas at Austin posts an admission rate of 27% and median earnings of $115,423 for its Chemical Engineering graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 3 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College · Baton Rouge, LA | $114,226 | $19,151 | $13,056 | 73.3% |
| Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College shows a school-wide median federal debt of $20,500 and $114,226 in median earnings for its Chemical Engineering graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 4 | Rice University · Houston, TX | $113,605 | $13,370 | $5,827 | 8.0% |
| Rice University carries an average net price of $13,370 and reports $113,605 in median earnings for its Chemical Engineering graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 5 | Texas A&M University-College Station · College Station, TX | $111,073 | $21,315 | $12,784 | 57.4% |
| With a cohort of 246 graduates, Texas A&M University-College Station shows median earnings of $111,073 four years after completing and ranks 25th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
| 6 | University of Houston · Houston, TX | $110,184 | $14,276 | $10,929 | 73.9% |
| University of Houston admits 74% of applicants and its Chemical Engineering graduates earn a median of $110,184 four years after completing. | |||||
| 7 | University of Florida · Gainesville, FL | $109,607 | $6,541 | $1,982 | 24.2% |
| An average net price of $6,541 coincides with median earnings of $109,607 for Chemical Engineering graduates of University of Florida four years after completing. | |||||
| 8 | North Carolina A & T State University · Greensboro, NC | $109,537 | $10,846 | $8,223 | 49.9% |
| North Carolina A & T State University ranks 8th on this list, with median earnings of $109,537 for its Chemical Engineering graduates four years after completing and a school-wide median federal debt of $27,000. | |||||
| 9 | University of Mississippi · University, MS | $107,548 | $13,314 | $8,945 | 96.6% |
| University of Mississippi admits 97% of applicants and reports median earnings of $107,548 for its Chemical Engineering graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 10 | Auburn University · Auburn, AL | $106,726 | $24,323 | $16,681 | 45.9% |
| Auburn University posts an average net price of $24,323 and median earnings of $106,726 for its Chemical Engineering graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 11 | Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University · Blacksburg, VA | $106,011 | $24,953 | $11,689 | 54.8% |
| Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University ranks 112th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports median earnings of $106,011 for its Chemical Engineering graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 12 | University of Virginia-Main Campus · Charlottesville, VA | $105,724 | $21,565 | $8,174 | 16.8% |
| University of Virginia-Main Campus carries an admission rate of 17% and its Chemical Engineering graduates earn a median of $105,724 four years after completing. | |||||
| 13 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh · Raleigh, NC | $104,705 | $17,303 | $6,382 | 41.7% |
| North Carolina State University at Raleigh reports median earnings of $104,705 for its Chemical Engineering graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $17,303. | |||||
| 14 | Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus · Atlanta, GA | $104,104 | $12,116 | $7,666 | 14.1% |
| Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus admits 14% of applicants and its Chemical Engineering graduates earn a median of $104,104 four years after completing. | |||||
| 15 | University of Delaware · Newark, DE | $103,910 | $17,799 | $10,901 | 70.6% |
| Graduates across all fields who borrowed at University of Delaware left with a median of $24,572 in federal loans, and the Chemical Engineering program posts median earnings of $103,910 four years after completing. | |||||
| 16 | University of Maryland-College Park · College Park, MD | $102,149 | $15,678 | $2,962 | 44.8% |
| University of Maryland-College Park ranks 71st on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, and its Chemical Engineering graduates earn a median of $102,149 four years after completing. | |||||
| 17 | University of Louisiana at Lafayette · Lafayette, LA | $102,119 | $13,530 | $11,157 | 87.0% |
| An average net price of $11,157 for families earning under $30,000 coincides with median earnings of $102,119 for Chemical Engineering graduates of University of Louisiana at Lafayette four years after completing. | |||||
| 18 | University of Tulsa · Tulsa, OK | $101,626 | $15,000 | $5,578 | 61.5% |
| A private nonprofit university in Tulsa, University of Tulsa shows median earnings of $101,626 for its Chemical Engineering graduates four years after completing, with an admission rate of 62%. | |||||
| 19 | University of Louisville · Louisville, KY | $101,068 | $17,988 | $15,138 | 79.4% |
| University of Louisville reports median earnings of $101,068 for its Chemical Engineering graduates four years after completing, and graduates across all fields who borrowed left with a median of $20,500 in federal loans. | |||||
| 20 | Lamar University · Beaumont, TX | $101,018 | $9,366 | $7,568 | 86.4% |
| Lamar University posts an average net price of $9,366, and its Chemical Engineering graduates earn a median of $101,018 four years after completing. | |||||
| 21 | The University of Alabama · Tuscaloosa, AL | $100,857 | $22,420 | $19,169 | 76.7% |
| The University of Alabama admits 77% of applicants, and its Chemical Engineering graduates earn a median of $100,857 four years after completing. | |||||
| 22 | Texas Tech University · Lubbock, TX | $99,747 | $19,070 | $12,457 | 72.7% |
| Texas Tech University ranks 86th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, alongside median earnings of $99,747 for its Chemical Engineering graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 23 | Florida Institute of Technology · Melbourne, FL | $99,312 | $35,639 | $29,108 | 57.7% |
| Florida Institute of Technology reports an average net price of $29,108 for families earning under $30,000, while its Chemical Engineering graduates earn a median of $99,312 four years after completing. | |||||
| 24 | Oklahoma State University-Main Campus · Stillwater, OK | $98,557 | $17,447 | $12,243 | 75.0% |
| Oklahoma State University-Main Campus shows median earnings of $98,557 for its Chemical Engineering graduates four years after completing, and graduates across all fields who borrowed left with a median of $20,500 in federal loans. | |||||
| 25 | University of South Carolina-Columbia · Columbia, SC | $98,244 | $22,811 | $12,634 | 60.2% |
| University of South Carolina-Columbia reports median earnings of $98,244 for its Chemical Engineering graduates four years after completing, with 56 graduates in the earnings cohort. | |||||
| 26 | Louisiana Tech University · Ruston, LA | $98,240 | $11,864 | $7,676 | 86.4% |
| A public university in Ruston, Louisiana Tech University has an average net price of $11,864 and an admission rate of 86%. | |||||
| 27 | University of Kentucky · Lexington, KY | $98,003 | $18,851 | $12,182 | 92.9% |
| University of Kentucky ranks 27th on this list and shows median earnings of $98,003 for its Chemical Engineering graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 28 | Texas A&M University-Kingsville · Kingsville, TX | $97,811 | $12,090 | $10,207 | 90.9% |
| Graduates across all fields who borrowed left Texas A&M University-Kingsville with a median of $22,934 in federal loans, and the school's Chemical Engineering graduates earned a median of $97,811 four years after completing. | |||||
| 29 | Virginia Commonwealth University · Richmond, VA | $97,781 | $23,433 | $17,512 | 92.6% |
| Virginia Commonwealth University admits 93% of applicants and reports median earnings of $97,781 for its Chemical Engineering graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 30 | West Virginia University · Morgantown, WV | $96,503 | $15,634 | $9,450 | 89.0% |
| West Virginia University reports median earnings of $96,503 for its Chemical Engineering graduates four years after completing, and graduates across all fields who borrowed left with a median of $22,500 in federal loans. | |||||
| 31 | Mississippi State University · Mississippi State, MS | $95,968 | $17,595 | $14,332 | 77.6% |
| Mississippi State University ranks 299th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, and its Chemical Engineering graduates earned a median of $95,968 four years after completing. | |||||
| 32 | Johns Hopkins University · Baltimore, MD | $94,671 | $18,809 | $428 | 6.4% |
| A private nonprofit institution in Baltimore, Johns Hopkins University reports median earnings of $94,671 for its Chemical Engineering graduates four years after completing, alongside a school-wide median federal debt of $10,250. | |||||
| 33 | University of South Florida · Tampa, FL | $94,387 | $9,812 | $4,122 | 43.2% |
| University of South Florida ranks 33rd on this list and has an average net price of $4,122 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 34 | University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus · Norman, OK | $94,291 | $15,300 | $10,509 | 76.6% |
| With an admission rate of 77%, University of Oklahoma-Norman Campus reports median earnings of $94,291 for its Chemical Engineering graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 35 | University of South Alabama · Mobile, AL | $93,943 | $17,648 | $12,657 | 71.0% |
| University of South Alabama reports median earnings of $93,943 for its Chemical Engineering graduates four years after completing, and graduates across all fields who borrowed left with a median of $24,929 in federal loans. | |||||
| 36 | University of Arkansas · Fayetteville, AR | $93,641 | $18,209 | $14,319 | 74.3% |
| In Fayetteville, University of Arkansas admits 74% of applicants and reports an average net price of $18,209. | |||||
| 37 | Prairie View A & M University · Prairie View, TX | $92,591 | $13,570 | $12,120 | 79.3% |
| Prairie View A & M University reports median earnings of $92,591 for its Chemical Engineering graduates four years after completing, with 50 graduates in the earnings cohort. | |||||
| 38 | The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga · Chattanooga, TN | $92,511 | $14,265 | $9,876 | 81.1% |
| Graduates across all fields who borrowed at The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga left with a median of $19,500 in federal loans, and the school admits 81% of applicants. | |||||
| 39 | Clemson University · Clemson, SC | $92,098 | $22,253 | $13,607 | 38.3% |
| Clemson University ranks 39th on this list and carries an average net price of $22,253 alongside an admission rate of 38%. | |||||
| 40 | The University of Tennessee-Knoxville · Knoxville, TN | $91,643 | $18,976 | $10,029 | 41.6% |
| An average net price of $10,029 for families earning under $30,000 coincides with median earnings of $91,643 for The University of Tennessee-Knoxville's Chemical Engineering graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 41 | Tennessee Technological University · Cookeville, TN | $91,580 | $14,246 | $9,815 | 76.1% |
| Tennessee Technological University posts median earnings of $91,580 for its Chemical Engineering graduates four years after completing, and its Azimuth composite rank sits at 260th among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
| 42 | University of Maryland-Baltimore County · Baltimore, MD | $91,547 | $16,467 | $5,087 | 72.4% |
| With an admission rate of 72%, University of Maryland-Baltimore County reports median earnings of $91,547 for its Chemical Engineering graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 43 | Florida State University · Tallahassee, FL | $90,815 | $11,297 | $5,938 | 24.2% |
| Florida State University ranks 65th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and shows median earnings of $90,815 for its Chemical Engineering graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 44 | University of Alabama in Huntsville · Huntsville, AL | $90,681 | $18,796 | $16,192 | 68.6% |
| Graduates across all fields who borrowed at University of Alabama in Huntsville left with a median of $20,705 in federal loans, and the school reports 33 graduates in the earnings cohort for Chemical Engineering. | |||||
| 45 | Howard University · Washington, DC | $84,653 | $50,539 | $46,051 | 41.3% |
| Howard University, a private nonprofit university in Washington, reports median earnings of $84,653 for its Chemical Engineering graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 46 | Tulane University of Louisiana · New Orleans, LA | $69,338 | $39,949 | $16,126 | 14.0% |
| Tulane University of Louisiana admits 14% of applicants and carries an average net price of $16,126 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 47 | Tuskegee University · Tuskegee, AL | $66,821 | $35,013 | $34,324 | 48.7% |
| Tuskegee University ranks 47th on this list, with median earnings of $66,821 for its Chemical Engineering graduates four years after completing and 11 graduates in the earnings cohort. | |||||
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 the South 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 3 of the 47 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. Vanderbilt University leads with $121,641, a gap of $6,218 ahead of The University of Texas at Austin at $115,423.
Job market context in the South
Chemical Engineering graduates in the South enter occupations such as Engineers, All Other and Engineering Teachers, Postsecondary. The median annual wage across those occupations is $116,738, and a quarter of workers in those occupations earn less than $85,791. The region projects about 10,260 openings a year, or about 333 openings a year for every hundred graduates, with more projected openings than graduates. Projections for 2024 to 2034 put employment in those occupations about 7.0% higher. Wages and top occupations exclude management occupations; openings include them. The ranking above uses graduate earnings four years after completing; these market figures describe the broader occupations and are not the same measure.