Chemical Engineering
What this engineering major studies in college, how to prepare in high school, the licensing exams, and careers open with a bachelor’s degree. Every fact below names its source.
Last checked:
What it is
Chemical engineers are employed in a broad array of industries, from pharmaceutical and biotechnical companies to semiconductor manufacturing. [1]
Chemical engineers work with catalysts to develop new ways to manufacture medicines and plastics, and they design chemical and petroleum plants. [1]
Typical college courses
ABET-accredited programs in this major must include applications of mathematics, including differential equations and statistics, to engineering problems; college-level chemistry and physics, some at an advanced level; and the engineering application of these sciences to the design, analysis and control of processes, including their hazards. [2]
The B.S. requires Introduction to Material Balances, Introduction to Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics, Process Fluid Mechanics, Process Heat Transfer, Chemical Reaction Engineering, and Organic Chemistry I and II, among other courses. [1]
The rows below show one named program as an example: the Penn State bachelor of science in this major, 2026–2027 bulletin. Course descriptions are in our own words. Course names and numbers differ at every college; confirm each college’s own list.
| Course | Status | What it covers (example: Penn State bulletin) | Comes after |
|---|---|---|---|
| Introduction to Material Balances | Required in this example program[1] | Introduction to Material Balances (CHE 210) is an integrated study of material balances and the industrial chemical processes important in chemical engineering. [3] | CHE 210 and CHE 220 each come after MATH 141 and CHEM 112. [3] |
Get ready with these topics: The mole and molar mass · Stoichiometry and conservation of mass · Limiting reactant and percent yield · Solutions and concentration · Quantities, units and rates · Literal equations and formulas | |||
| Introduction to Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics | Required in this example program[1] | Introduction to Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics (CHE 220) is the introductory course in chemical engineering thermodynamics, normally scheduled in the sophomore year, and develops the thermodynamics of pure fluids and equations of state for non-ideal systems. [3] | CHE 210 and CHE 220 each come after MATH 141 and CHEM 112. [3] |
Get ready with these topics: Heat flow and thermal equilibrium · Thermodynamics: the laws and heat engines · Conservation of energy: modeling energy in a system · Energy in chemical reactions · Calorimetry and specific heat · Entropy, free energy and why reactions happen · Gas laws | |||
| Process Fluid Mechanics | Required in this example program[1] | Process Fluid Mechanics (CHE 330) introduces the principles of fluid mechanics that matter most to chemical engineers and uses them to find flow patterns for Newtonian fluids in simple geometries. [3] | It comes after MATH 251 and CHE 210 with a C or better. [3] |
Get ready with these topics: Fluids: pressure, buoyancy and flow · Momentum and its conservation · Conservation of energy: modeling energy in a system · The derivative as a limit · The definite integral | |||
| Process Heat Transfer | Required in this example program[1] | Process Heat Transfer (CHE 350) introduces heat transfer in solids and fluids and its uses in chemical processes, including the design of heat exchangers and heat exchanger networks. [3] | It comes after MATH 251, CHE 230 and CHE 210 with a C or better. [3] |
Get ready with these topics: Heat flow and thermal equilibrium · Thermodynamics: the laws and heat engines · Calorimetry and specific heat · Differential equations and slope fields | |||
| Chemical Reaction Engineering | Required in this example program[1] | Chemical Reaction Engineering (CHE 430) teaches the principles of reaction engineering and reactor design, including how to formulate rate laws. [3] | It comes after Phase and Chemical Equilibria (CHE 320). [3] |
Get ready with these topics: Reaction rates and collision theory · Chemical equilibrium and Le Chatelier's principle · Stoichiometry and conservation of mass · Separation of variables and exponential models | |||
| Organic Chemistry I and II | Required in this example program[1] | Organic Chemistry I (CHEM 210) covers bonding in organic molecules, stereochemistry and molecular shapes, and reactions of alkyl halides, alkenes, alkynes, aromatics and alcohols, and Organic Chemistry II (CHEM 212) continues it, with emphasis on the role of organic reactions in biological chemistry. [4] | CHEM 210 comes after CHEM 112, and CHEM 212 comes after CHEM 210. [4] |
Get ready with these topics: Ionic and covalent bonding · Lewis structures and molecular shape · Forces between particles and bulk properties · Organic chemistry basics · Acids and bases · Reaction rates and collision theory | |||
Typical high school preparation
- In addition to university requirements, its applicants need 4 units of high school math, including Algebra I, Algebra II, geometry, and pre-calculus/trigonometry or calculus, and 3 units of high school science that must include physics and chemistry, and they must also meet one of its ACT or GPA standards. [5]
- If the minimum admission has not been met, a student may be admitted based on an individual review. [5]
This is one university’s admission list for its engineering college, not a rule for every college. Confirm each college’s own list.
Other engineering majors
Each card opens that major’s page. Compare the courses before you choose, and confirm each college’s own list.
Engineering: the first-year core
First-year courses, ABET accreditation and licensing, with sources.
Environmental Engineering
Environmental engineering prepares students to plan, design, operate and renew the built systems that protect public health and the environment. [6]
Materials Engineering
Materials such as ceramics, metals, polymers and composites are critical to many industries and key to most engineering disciplines. [7]
Biomedical Engineering
The biomedical engineering curriculum emphasizes the continuous integration of classical and modern engineering principles with the life sciences and health care. [8]
Where this degree can lead with a bachelor’s
National figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Pay varies by state, setting and experience. This is not a promise of pay or a job.
Examples from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. Other careers may need more study after the bachelor’s degree.
Chemical engineers
Chemical engineers apply the principles of chemistry, physics and engineering to design equipment and processes for manufacturing products such as gasoline, detergents and paper. [9]
The median annual wage for chemical engineers was $125,040 in May 2025. [9]
Employment of chemical engineers is projected to grow 5 percent from 2025 to 2035, faster than the average for all occupations. [9]
To enter the occupation, chemical engineers typically need a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering or a related field. [9]
Petroleum engineers
Petroleum engineers devise methods to improve oil and gas extraction and production. [10]
The median annual wage for petroleum engineers was $144,910 in May 2025. [10]
Employment of petroleum engineers is projected to grow 2 percent from 2025 to 2035, slower than the average for all occupations. [10]
Petroleum engineers typically need a bachelor's degree in petroleum engineering or a related field, such as mechanical, civil or chemical engineering. [10]
Getting licensed: the FE and PE exams
Overview only. For dates, registration, rules and scoring, see each test maker's own site.
The FE exam
The Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) exam is generally the first step in the process of becoming a licensed professional engineer (PE). [11]
The FE exam is designed for recent graduates and students who are close to finishing an undergraduate engineering degree from an EAC/ABET-accredited program. [11]
The PE exam
The Principles and Practice of Engineering (PE) exam tests for a minimum level of competency in a particular engineering discipline and is designed for engineers who have gained a minimum of four years of post-college work experience. [12]
NCEES offers more than 20 different PE exams, including one for chemical engineering. [12]
The path to a PE license
To use the PE seal, engineers must earn a four-year degree in engineering from an accredited engineering program, pass the FE exam, complete four years of progressive engineering experience under a PE, and pass the PE exam. [13]
Licensure is not required for entry-level chemical engineers. [9]
Exam names are trademarks of their owners. NCEES and NSPE are not affiliated with and do not endorse UpOnly Learning.
Questions people search
Chosen from our search-question research. Every answer is cited.
What can you do with a chemical engineering degree?
To enter the occupation, chemical engineers typically need a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering or a related field. [9]
Petroleum engineers typically need a bachelor's degree in petroleum engineering or a related field, such as mechanical, civil or chemical engineering. [10]
How to become a chemical engineer
To enter the occupation, chemical engineers typically need a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering or a related field. [9]
Licensure is not required for entry-level chemical engineers. [9]
To use the PE seal, engineers must earn a four-year degree in engineering from an accredited engineering program, pass the FE exam, complete four years of progressive engineering experience under a PE, and pass the PE exam. [13]
Your next step
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Sources
- The Pennsylvania State University. Chemical Engineering, B.S.. https://bulletins.psu.edu/undergraduate/colleges/engineering/chemical-engineering-bs/. 2026–2027 Undergraduate Bulletin. Checked .
- ABET. Criteria for Accrediting Engineering Programs, 2026–2027. https://www.abet.org/2026-2027_eac_criteria. 2026–2027 review cycle (Engineering Accreditation Commission). Checked .
- The Pennsylvania State University. Chemical Engineering (CHE) course descriptions. https://bulletins.psu.edu/university-course-descriptions/undergraduate/che/. current University Bulletins (the MATH and EDSGN course pages show the 2026–27 edition). Checked .
- The Pennsylvania State University. Chemistry (CHEM) course descriptions. https://bulletins.psu.edu/university-course-descriptions/undergraduate/chem/. current University Bulletins (the BMB, BIOL and NUTR course pages show the 2026–27 edition). Checked .
- University of Nebraska–Lincoln, College of Engineering. Admission Requirements. https://engineering.unl.edu/undergraduate-programs/admission-requirements. no edition stated (page footer © 2025). Checked .
- The Pennsylvania State University. Environmental Engineering, B.S.. https://bulletins.psu.edu/undergraduate/colleges/engineering/environmental-engineering-bs/. 2026–2027 Undergraduate Bulletin. Checked .
- The Pennsylvania State University. Materials Science and Engineering, B.S.. https://bulletins.psu.edu/undergraduate/colleges/earth-mineral-sciences/materials-science-engineering-bs/. 2026–2027 Undergraduate Bulletin. Checked .
- The Pennsylvania State University. Biomedical Engineering, B.S.. https://bulletins.psu.edu/undergraduate/colleges/engineering/biomedical-engineering-bs/. 2026–2027 Undergraduate Bulletin. Checked .
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Outlook Handbook: Chemical Engineers. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/chemical-engineers.htm. OOH page last modified October 29, 2026 (pay data May 2025; projections 2025–35). Checked .
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Occupational Outlook Handbook: Petroleum Engineers. https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/petroleum-engineers.htm. OOH page last modified October 29, 2026 (pay data May 2025; projections 2025–35). Checked .
- National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES). FE exam. https://ncees.org/exams/fe-exam/. no edition stated. Checked .
- National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES). PE exam. https://ncees.org/exams/pe-exam/. no edition stated. Checked .
- National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE). What is a PE? https://www.nspe.org/about/about-professional-engineering/what-pe. no edition stated. Checked .
Format: Publisher. Page title. URL. Edition or catalog year. Checked date.