Chemical Engineering at University of Minnesota-Duluth

UMN-Duluth's chemical engineering program charges slightly more debt than its Twin Cities sibling while delivering $6,000 less in first-year earnings—a meaningful gap for families comparing the two Minnesota options. Starting at $67,152, graduates earn below the national median ($72,974) and trail the stronger Twin Cities program, though they're still landing solidly middle-class jobs. The debt load of $26,915 is actually below the national median, which partially offsets the earnings gap.

What's working here is the reasonable debt-to-earnings ratio (0.40) and encouraging earnings trajectory—graduates see a 17% bump to $78,630 by year four, which brings them much closer to national norms. For a school with an 82% admission rate, these outcomes represent accessible engineering education without crushing debt. The moderate sample size suggests this isn't a massive program, but the data appears stable enough for decision-making.

The bottom line: This program won't position your child at the top of the chemical engineering field, but it offers a viable path into the profession at a manageable cost. If your student is drawn to Duluth's smaller campus environment and doesn't get into Twin Cities, this works—just understand they're trading some earning potential for that accessibility. Families specifically targeting Minnesota's highest returns should look at Twin Cities first.