Chemical engineers work on processes that sustainably transform raw materials into useful products in a variety of industries, such as plastics, energy, and the production of everything from potato chips to microelectronic chips.
The Chemical Engineering Department offers practice-oriented programs to develop well-trained professionals who will be successful in their careers and prepared for advanced studies.
Five main advantages of a degree in chemical engineering
Chemical engineers benefit from a broad education and can focus on areas of interest.
- Students can focus on energy, biotechnology, climate, and environmental science while earning a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering.
- The field encompasses many areas so students can explore topics that interest them.
- Chemical engineers have a variety of career options with steady growth.
- Almost every industry employs these engineers. They devise manufacturing solutions for research and development, allowing companies to produce new products.
- Chemical engineers’ employment is expected to increase by 9% between 2020 and 2030, according to the BLS, in part due to the development of the fields of climate engineering and nanotechnology.
What Can I Expect From a Bachelor’s in Chemical Engineering Program?
Chemical engineers approach chemistry with a practical mindset. They create systems and processes that were created in labs and scale them up for use in commercial production. Chemical engineers need a good understanding of chemistry, but they also need to understand physics, biology, and advanced mathematics.
Chemical engineering bachelor’s degrees require at least four years of full-time study. Your school may offer a bachelor of science or bachelor of engineering degree. The majority of programs start out with general education classes, as well as foundational chemistry, physics, and math courses.
Some schools offer concentrations that require taking multiple electives in a specific area of chemical engineering, like biotechnology or environmental science. Courses often include lectures and lab classes. Through co-ops, internships, or undergraduate research programs, many institutions provide experiential learning opportunities.
Best Chemical Engineering Schools in California
There are some famous universities in California offering some amazing programs in chemical engineering:
- Stanford College
Based in Stanford, California, Stanford University is a private, non-profit institution of higher learning. More than 1,700 people are enrolled there to pursue bachelor’s degrees. The 4% acceptance rate reflects the competitive nature of the admission requirements.
- Technology University of California
California’s California Institute of Technology is a private, non-profit university with its headquarters in Pasadena. It is a college that currently has over 235 bachelor’s degree candidates enrolled. The 7% acceptance rate reflects the competitive nature of the admission requirements.
- Los Angeles’ University of California
Located in Los Angeles, California, the University of California-Los Angeles is a public university. There are currently over 6,038 bachelor’s degree candidates enrolled at this institution. The acceptance rate of 16% indicates that the admission criteria are somewhat competitive.
- California State University, Santa Barbara
Located in Santa Barbara, California, the University of California-Santa Barbara is a public university. It is an institution with an enrollment of over 4,538 bachelor’s degree candidates. The acceptance rate of 32% demonstrates how competitive the admission requirements are.
- California State University, San Diego
A public university with its headquarters in La Jolla, California, is the University of California-San Diego. There are currently more than 5,699 bachelor’s degree candidates enrolled at this institution. The acceptance rate of 33% demonstrates how competitive the admission requirements are.
Best Chemical Engineering Schools in California
| Institution | Category | Location | website |
|---|---|---|---|
| Henry Samueli School of Engineering | Engineering school | 5200 Engineering Service Rd | http://www.eng.uci.edu/ |
| California Institute of Technology | University | 1200 E California Blvd | http://www.caltech.edu/ |
| USC Viterbi School of Engineering | Engineering school | 3650 McClintock Ave | https://viterbischool.usc.edu/ |
| Henry Samueli School of Engineering | Engineering school | 7400 Boelter Hall | https://samueli.ucla.edu/ |
| College of Engineering | University | http://www.csulb.edu/college-of-engineering | |
| Irwin & Joan Jacobs School of Engineering | Engineering school | 9500 Gilman Dr | http://www.jacobsschool.ucsd.edu/ |
| Division Office Chemistry and Chemical Engineering | University | Crellin Laboratory | |
| Stanford University - Department of Chemical Engineering | University department | 443 Via Ortega | https://cheme.stanford.edu/ |
| College of Science and Engineering | College | San Francisco State University, 1600 Holloway Ave | https://cose.sfsu.edu/ |
| Santa Clara University School of Engineering | University department | 500 El Camino Real | http://www.scu.edu/engineering |
| UC Davis College of Engineering | University department | 2063 Bioletti Way | http://engineering.ucdavis.edu/ |
| Lyles College of Engineering | University | 2320 E San Ramon Ave | http://www.fresnostate.edu/engineering/index.html |
| College of Engineering, UC Santa Barbara | College | Lagoon Rd | http://engineering.ucsb.edu/ |
| University of California, Berkeley | Public university | · | https://www.berkeley.edu/ |
| College of Engineering Building 9 | University department | 3801 W Temple Ave | http://www.cpp.edu/~engineering/ |
| Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering | University department | +1 951-827-2859 | http://www.cee.ucr.edu/ |
| UC Berkeley College of Engineering | College | 320 Mclaughlin Hall | http://engineering.berkeley.edu/contact |
| Bourns College of Engineering | University department | Winston Chung Hall, 446 N Campus Dr | http://www.engr.ucr.edu/ |
| Materials Science and Engineering - University of California, Berkeley | University department | 2607 Hearst Ave | https://www.mse.berkeley.edu/ |
| Stanford Engineering | Private university | 475 Via Ortega | http://engineering.stanford.edu/visit |
What Can This Degree Get Me?
In many industries, chemical engineers use engineering and chemistry techniques to create new products or enhance existing ones. The BLS projects about 1,800 job openings for chemical engineers each year. Process engineering and a chemical engineering are common job designations.
The availability of energy, the state of medicine, and environmental sustainability continue to be problems that science may be able to solve. The need for highly qualified chemical engineers with knowledge of these fields may increase as a result of emerging industries like nanotechnology and alternative energy.
About 82% of chemical engineers, according to ONET Online, start out with a bachelor’s degree in the subject. These engineers frequently work in offices or labs and are involved in the production of pharmaceuticals, trade, manufacturing, and oil and gas extraction.
Is a chemical engineering bachelor’s degree worthwhile?
A bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering will position you for rewarding careers in cutting-edge science and technology fields. Chemical engineers are working to develop new forms of energy or assist businesses in lessening their environmental impact. Most entry-level positions only call for an engineering bachelor’s degree.
How much money can I expect to make with a chemical engineering bachelor’s degree?
Chemical engineers made a median salary of $105,550 in May 2021, according to the BLS. How much money you can make with a bachelor’s in chemical engineering depends on a number of factors, including your industry and location. Pay for chemical engineers ranged from below $62,730 to above $187,430.
The highest average salary for chemical engineers was reported by the oil and gas extraction sector in 2021 at $167,120. Texas had the highest average salary for chemical engineers at $164,470. Houston reported the highest average salary among the major cities at $173,640.
In the engineering industry, chemical engineers can expect to make high salaries.
According to the BLS, the median salary for chemical engineers was $105,550 in May 2021. That’s more than twice the median annual salary in the U.S. of $45,760. Petroleum engineers, who frequently major in chemical engineering, made $130,850 in 2021, the highest median salary of any engineering profession.
