US figures are placeholders until the first data update finishes. They are not real statistics.
Work Route

Chemical Engineering: from a US degree to a green card

CIP 14.0701

This is a STEM-designated major, so graduates can work on OPT for up to 36 months. That allows up to three tries in the H-1B lottery.

  1. Degree $105,000 Median bachelor's earnings, year 1
    Across 375 programs
  2. OPT 36 months 12 months plus a 24-month STEM extension
  3. H-1B $98,000 Median salary for chemical engineers
    35,703 certified across the main jobs
  4. Green card 4,985 PERM labor certifications, 88.2% certified
    Median processing about 427 days

Jobs graduates go into

Grouped by US Standard Occupational Classification. Salaries are the wages offered on H-1B applications and exclude bonuses and stock.

JobH-1B certifiedMedian salaryMiddle half of salariesGreen cards certified
Chemical engineersSOC 17-2041 35,703 $98,000 $80,360 – $122,500 4,985

Top H-1B employers

Chemical engineers

EmployerCertifiedMedian
Sample Employer A2,856$109,429
Sample Employer B2,642$107,905
Sample Employer C2,427$113,148
Sample Employer D2,213$112,238
Sample Employer E1,999$119,105
Sample Employer F1,785$117,926
Sample Employer G1,570$95,849
Sample Employer H1,356$97,583

Top green card sponsors

Chemical engineers

EmployerCertified
Sample Employer A498
Sample Employer B458
Sample Employer C418
Sample Employer D378
Sample Employer E338
Sample Employer F299
Sample Employer G259
Sample Employer H219

Where the jobs are

Schools with the highest graduate earnings

Median earnings one year after graduation, from US Department of Education tax records for students who received federal aid. International students are not included in these figures.

SchoolYear 1Later years
Sample University 1$141,750$184,275
Sample University 2$137,550$178,815
Sample University 3$133,350$173,355
Sample University 4$129,150$167,895
Sample University 5$124,950$162,435
Sample University 6$120,750$156,975
Sample University 7$116,550$151,515
Sample University 8$112,350$146,055
Sample University 9$108,150$140,595
Sample University 10$103,950$135,135
Sample University 11$99,750$129,675
Sample University 12$95,550$124,215

Other majors