Chemical Engineering major

Chemical Engineering: courses, careers, and where to study

Chemical Engineering applies chemistry, physics, and math to design large-scale processes that turn raw materials into fuels, medicines, and materials, for students who like lab science and design.

A Chemical Engineering major is typically an ABET-accredited bachelor of science that teaches students to design, operate, and optimize the processes that convert raw materials into useful products, from petrochemicals and plastics to pharmaceuticals, foods, and semiconductors. The core sequence builds on calculus, differential equations, and chemistry, then layers on the discipline's defining courses: material and energy balances, thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, heat and mass transfer, reaction engineering, separation processes, and process control.

Most programs require organic and physical chemistry, several unit-operations and process-design labs, and a senior capstone in which teams design a full chemical plant or process and evaluate it on safety, economics, and environmental impact. Graduates work in process and production engineering, manufacturing, energy, biotechnology, materials, and environmental compliance, and many pursue the Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam as a step toward a Professional Engineer (PE) license.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of chemical engineers to grow 2.6% from 2024 to 2034 and reports a 2024 median wage of $121,860 for the occupation.

Academic classification (CIP)

In the federal Classification of Instructional Programs, Chemical Engineering maps to CIP 14.0701, Chemical Engineering, within the ENGINEERING family. The official definition:

A program that prepares individuals to apply mathematical and scientific principles to the design, development and operational evaluation of systems employing chemical processes, such as chemical reactors, kinetic systems, electrochemical systems, energy conservation processes, heat and mass transfer systems, and separation processes; and the applied analysis of chemical problems such as corrosion, particle abrasion, energy loss, pollution, and fluid mechanics.

Source: U.S. Department of Education (NCES), Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP) 2020. View on nces.ed.gov

What you'll study

  • Material and energy balances on chemical processes
  • Chemical engineering thermodynamics and phase equilibria
  • Fluid mechanics and heat and mass transfer (transport phenomena)
  • Chemical reaction engineering and reactor design
  • Separation processes (distillation, absorption, extraction, membranes)
  • Process dynamics, control, and instrumentation
  • Process and plant design with safety and economic analysis
  • Unit-operations and process laboratory work, plus organic and physical chemistry

Typical careers

  • Chemical engineers
  • Process Engineer
  • Production / Manufacturing Engineer
  • Process Control Engineer
  • Environmental / Safety Engineer
  • Research and Development Engineer

Typical salary range: $70,000–$100,000 early-career (BLS, 2024 chemical engineers median $121,860)Ranges are early-career estimates. Any BLS figure shown is the occupation-wide median across all experience levels, not a starting wage, and is informational only.

Before you commit to a Chemical Engineering major

CampusPin does not rank programs. Use these prompts to pressure-test whether a specific Chemical Engineering program fits your goals, they are decision questions, not claims about any school.

Ask the Chemical Engineering department

  • Which concentrations or specializations are offered, and which faculty lead them?
  • What does the typical course sequence look like, and how much is required vs. elective?
  • What labs, studios, clinical placements, or research opportunities are available to undergraduates?
  • Is there a capstone, thesis, internship, or co-op requirement?

Ask current students & check the curriculum

  • How heavy is the workload, and how accessible is the faculty?
  • What internships or co-ops did you do, and where do recent graduates end up?
  • Does the required curriculum actually match the careers listed above?
  • How easy is it to add a minor, double major, or switch tracks later?
Accreditation & licensure: Engineering and some computing programs may hold ABET accreditation, which can matter for professional licensure (the PE path) and for some employers and graduate schools. Check whether the Chemical Engineering programs you are considering are accredited for your goals.
Degree level & graduate study: Many Chemical Engineeringcareers are open with a bachelor's degree, but some, such as research, advanced-practice, or licensure-track roles, require a master's or doctorate. Check the typical entry-level education on each linked career page above before assuming a bachelor's is enough.

Find a Chemical Engineering program

CampusPin lists U.S. universities and community colleges that offer Chemical Engineering programs. Filter by state, tuition, school size, acceptance rate, and campus setting, no account required.

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How this guide is sourced

This is an editorial guide from the CampusPin Editorial Team. Career and wage figures are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, occupation-wide medians across all experience levels, not starting wages, and link to each career page. Program availability comes from CampusPin's free institution search; CampusPin does not assert that any specific school offers this exact major until that program data is verified. Last reviewed 2026-06-15. How CampusPin sources data · Report a correction.