Chemical Engineering
Turn raw materials into useful products using chemistry and physics
What You'll Study
Chemical Engineers figure out how to mass-produce everything from medicine and plastic to food and fuel. They scale up small lab experiments into massive factory processes.
- Stoichiometry & Mass Balances
- Thermodynamics
- Fluid Mechanics
- Heat & Mass Transfer
- Reaction Engineering
- Process Control
- Organic & Physical Chemistry
- Plant Design
Example Classes
How to Know If You'll Like It
You'll probably enjoy this if...
- ✓You loved Chemistry but want to build big things
- ✓You are good at math (Calculus) and physics
- ✓You want to work in energy, pharmaceuticals, or food
- ✓You are methodical and safety-conscious
- ✓You want one of the highest-paying engineering degrees
- ✓You like understanding how things flow and react
You might not enjoy this if...
- ✕You dislike Chemistry labs
- ✕You struggle with abstract thermodynamic concepts
- ✕You want to invent new molecules (that's a Chemist)
- ✕You dislike industrial environments
Self-Check Quiz
Answer these questions honestly to see if this major might be a good fit for you.
Do you wonder how they make millions of Doritos taste exactly the same?
Career Outcomes
Featured In-Demand Careers
Environmental Engineer
Develop solutions to environmental problems including pollution control, waste management, and sustainability.
Biomedical Engineer
Apply engineering principles to healthcare, developing medical devices, prosthetics, and diagnostic equipment.
Semiconductor / IC Design Engineer
Design, simulate, and verify integrated circuits (ICs) and microchips used in computers, smartphones, and AI hardware.
Other Common Career Paths
- •Process Engineer
- •Petroleum Engineer
- •Food Engineer
- •Pharmaceutical Engineer
Industries
Semiconductors & Electronics
Design the hardware chips that power the modern world.
Advanced Manufacturing & Automation
Revolutionize how things are made with robotics and smart systems.
Pharma, MedTech & Life Sciences
Develop the drugs and devices that save and improve lives.
Energy & Sustainability
Power our civilization while protecting the planet.
Try It First
Test if you like this field before committing to a major:
Bake a cake but double the recipe perfectly. That's "scaling up".
Research how plastic is recycled and draw a diagram of the process.
Design a water filtration system using sand, charcoal, and gravel.
Related Majors
Frequently Asked Questions
No, it's mostly Math and Physics applied to Chemistry processes.
Chemical plants can be, so safety training is huge. Most jobs are safe.
Oil & Gas, Food (Kraft/Nestle), Pharma (Pfizer), Plastics, Cosmetics.
Yes, often ranked as the #1 hardest major due to the mix of intense subjects.
Yes, Chemical Engineers are consistently among the highest paid.
Ready to Explore This Major?
Get personalized guidance on whether Chemical Engineering is right for you and how to build a competitive profile.