Chemical Engineering at University of Washington-Seattle Campus

UW-Seattle's Chemical Engineering program produces graduates earning $67,624 their first year—about $5,000 below the national median and slightly below Washington State University's chemical engineering grads. Within Washington's limited options (just two schools offer this major), UW lands at the 40th percentile, meaning WSU has a slight edge on starting salaries. Nationally, the program ranks at just the 25th percentile, which is surprisingly modest given UW's strong engineering reputation.

The financial picture improves somewhat over time, with earnings growing 20% to reach $81,439 by year four. Debt loads are manageable at $19,875—lower than both state and national medians—resulting in a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.29 that most graduates can handle comfortably. This below-average debt helps offset the lower starting salary, though it doesn't fully compensate for falling behind peers at other programs early in their careers.

For Washington families, this creates an interesting choice: UW offers prestige and a solid campus experience, but WSU's chemical engineering program delivers comparable (slightly better) outcomes at likely lower total cost. The moderate sample size means these figures are reasonably reliable, and chemical engineering remains a strong career path overall. Just recognize that UW's program isn't outperforming its competition here—you're paying for the university's broader brand rather than exceptional chemical engineering outcomes specifically.