It pays to be a chemical engineer. Literally. Chemical engineering graduates boast a higher median pay than any other major when measured over a lifetime, according to an article at 24/7 Wall St. The article cites a survey from the Hamilton Project, which indicates the typical graduate with a degree in chemical engineering will earn more than $2 million over the course of an entire work life. By comparison, a typical college graduate will earn $1.19 million over the same span.
Engineers in general are likely to take home a healthy paycheck. In terms of lifetime earnings, chemical engineering is followed by aerospace, energy and extraction, computer engineering, electrical engineering, mechanical engineering, civil engineering, industrial and manufacturing engineering, and general engineering.