Chemical Engineering at University of California-Riverside

UC Riverside's chemical engineering program lands right at the California median for starting salaries—$68,245 versus the state's $68,291—but accomplishes this with notably low debt. At just $17,413, graduates here owe about $6,000 less than the national median for chemical engineering degrees, creating a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.26 that's better than 89% of comparable programs nationwide.

The earnings trajectory is solid, climbing 18% to $80,354 by year four. That's a meaningful bump, though UC Riverside still trails the flagship Berkeley and UCLA programs by $15,000-20,000 in early career earnings. What matters more for most families is the comparison to peer schools: this program performs roughly on par with UC Davis and significantly ahead of Cal Poly Pomona, while keeping debt manageable.

For families choosing between UC campuses, Riverside offers something practical—a respectable chemical engineering degree without the debt burden that often accompanies STEM programs. The 47% Pell grant rate suggests this university successfully educates lower-income students into middle-class engineering careers. While top performers might reach higher starting salaries elsewhere, the combination of UC credentials and minimal debt makes this a financially sound option for most California families considering chemical engineering.