Chemical Engineering at The University of Alabama

Alabama's chemical engineering program sits in an interesting position: slightly below the national median but solidly middle-of-the-pack for the state. New graduates earn $69,809—about $3,000 less than the national average—but within the state, this ranks at the 60th percentile, outperforming three of Alabama's five chemical engineering programs. The debt load of $23,003 is manageable for an engineering degree, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.33 that most financial advisors would consider healthy.

The real question is whether the nearly $13,000 earnings gap with Auburn (Alabama's top program for chemical engineering) matters enough to justify potentially higher admission standards or a different campus location. Alabama's 76% admission rate makes it more accessible, and graduates still see solid 24% earnings growth by year four, reaching $86,590. The robust sample size suggests these numbers are reliable, not statistical flukes.

For families prioritizing in-state tuition and reasonable debt, this program delivers on engineering's core promise: strong starting salaries that grow steadily. You're not getting top-tier outcomes, but you're getting solid middle-class earning power without crushing debt—and that's often enough to make the investment worthwhile, especially when the alternative is paying out-of-state tuition elsewhere.