Chemical Engineering at The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga

At $57,952 in first-year earnings, this chemical engineering program lands well below what the degree typically delivers. Nationally, chemical engineering bachelor's graduates start at a median of $73,000, making UTC's outcome nearly $15,000 short of the field's standard promise. Within Tennessee, where UT-Knoxville and Vanderbilt graduates earn above $75,000, UTC sits at the bottom of the state's chemical engineering options—even Tennessee Tech graduates start $2,300 higher. The debt load appears reasonable at an estimated $23,250 based on national peer programs, but that's calculated against earnings that don't match the field's typical payoff.

The 45% earnings growth to $84,000 by year four shows decent progression, but you're still playing catch-up to what stronger programs deliver from day one. For a major often chosen specifically because of its strong earning potential, starting $15,000 behind the national median undermines the core financial logic of the degree. If your child is set on chemical engineering and Tennessee residency, the in-state flagship or even Tennessee Tech would likely produce better returns for similar or lower investment—particularly given UTC's modest admission selectivity and below-average SAT scores for an engineering program, which may signal weaker industry connections or curriculum rigor that employers recognize.