Chemical Engineering at University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame's Chemical Engineering program lands graduates in the top 5% nationally for earnings, yet within Indiana it's surprisingly middling—this is the only state program that out-earns it. That's less about Notre Dame underperforming and more about Indiana's exceptional chemical engineering ecosystem, particularly with Purdue and Rose-Hulman nearby.

The fundamentals are extremely solid: $83,000 starting salary climbing to nearly $97,000 by year four represents 16% growth, and the $19,000 median debt is roughly $4,000 below the state average. That 0.23 debt-to-earnings ratio means graduates need less than three months of salary to cover their entire debt load—assuming they're among the majority graduating with that typical debt burden rather than none at all. The 12% admission rate and high SAT scores suggest this is already a self-selected group of high achievers, which likely contributes to the strong outcomes.

For families concerned about prestige versus value, this is where Notre Dame's brand adds clear financial advantage. While it's not the highest-earning chemical engineering program in Indiana, it delivers elite-level national outcomes with below-average debt. The real question is whether your student can gain admission to those competitor schools at similar cost—if they're already in at Notre Dame, this program represents a safe bet with strong upward earnings trajectory.