Home › Compare › Chemical Engineering › University of California-Berkeley vs University of Florida

Chemical Engineering: University of California-Berkeley vs University of Florida

Side-by-side ROI comparison · Bachelor's Degree
Return on Investment
10-year earnings ÷ tuition · higher is better
University of California-Berkeley
Berkeley, CA
University of Florida
Gainesville, FL
In-State
19.6x
$59,400 tuition
36.3x
$25,524 tuition
Out-of-State
6.4x
$182,508 tuition
8.1x
$114,636 tuition
$1,162,487 10-yr earnings · Public
$925,520 10-yr earnings · Public

Head-to-Head

University of California-Berkeley University of Florida
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 19.6x 36.3x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 6.4x 8.1x
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $59,400 $25,524
Year 1 Earnings $81,553 $87,164
10-Year Earnings $1,162K $926K
Median Debt $18,155 $19,600
Debt-to-Earnings Ratio 2.7 months 2.7 months
DegreeWorth Score (In-State) 67/100 70/100
Acceptance Rate 11.7% 24.0%

Both programs have high AI automation risk (48% task exposure) — the same career paths apply to Chemical Engineering graduates regardless of school. See full AI analysis →

ROI Breakdown

How tuition costs translate into long-term earnings for Chemical Engineering graduates.

University of California-Berkeley University of Florida
4-Year Tuition (In-State) $59,400 $25,524
4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) $182,508 $114,636
10-Year Projected Earnings $1,162K $926K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 19.6x 36.3x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 6.4x 8.1x
5-Year Salary Growth +55% +20%

"Earnings Multiple" = projected 10-year earnings ÷ 4-year tuition. Higher is better. Not a discounted financial ROI.

AI Disruption Scenarios

Both schools share identical AI exposure for Chemical Engineering (same career paths). The score differences below reflect how each school's earnings and ROI hold up under stress.

University of California-Berkeley University of Florida
Optim. Base Pessim. Optim. Base Pessim.
10-Year Earnings $1,235K $1,162K $965K $972K $926K $790K
Earnings Multiple (IS) 20.8x 19.6x 16.2x 38.1x 36.3x 31.0x
DegreeWorth Score 70 67 61 72 70 65

For the full AI analysis of Chemical Engineering career paths, see the University of California-Berkeley or University of Florida program pages.

Earnings Trajectory Comparison

Projected annual earnings for Chemical Engineering graduates. Year 1 uses actual reported data.

Tuition Gap (In-State)
$33,876
University of Florida saves you this
Year 1 Earnings Gap
$5,611/yr
University of Florida grads earn more
ROI Range (In-State)
19.6x / 36.3x
Out-of-state: 6.4x / 8.1x

Career Paths

Chemical Engineering graduates from both schools map to the same career paths. Differences in earnings reflect school prestige, location, and employer networks.

Career Path Wage Openings/yr Growth AI Risk
Architectural and engineering managers $167,740 14,500 +3.8% 41%
Chemical engineers $121,860 1,100 +2.6% 46%
Engineers, all other $117,750 9,300 +2.1% 46%
Bioengineers and biomedical engineers $106,950 1,300 +5.2% 59%
Engineering teachers, postsecondary $106,120 4,100 +8.1% 50%
Want to compare different schools or majors? Try the freeform comparison tool →

Explore Each Program

Chemical Engineering at University of California-Berkeley → Chemical Engineering at University of Florida →

More Chemical Engineering Comparisons

Arizona State University Campus Immersion vs University of California-Berkeley Arizona State University Campus Immersion vs University of Florida Auburn University vs University of California-Berkeley Auburn University vs University of Florida Brigham Young University vs University of California-Berkeley Brigham Young University vs University of Florida

Chemical Engineering Overview

View all schools offering Chemical Engineering →

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better for Chemical Engineering: University of California-Berkeley or University of Florida?
University of California-Berkeley scores 67/100 while University of Florida scores 70/100. University of Florida has significantly lower tuition, which drives its higher ROI. The best choice depends on whether you prioritize raw earnings or return on investment.
Which school has better ROI for Chemical Engineering?
University of California-Berkeley has an in-state earnings multiple of 19.6x vs University of Florida's 36.3x. That means University of Florida grads earn more per dollar spent on tuition. The $33,876 tuition gap is the biggest driver of this difference.
How do University of California-Berkeley and University of Florida compare on Chemical Engineering earnings?
Year 1 median earnings are $81,553 at University of California-Berkeley vs $87,164 at University of Florida. Over 10 years, the projected totals are $1,162,487 vs $925,520 — a difference of $236,967.
How much does Chemical Engineering cost at each school?
Four-year in-state tuition is $59,400 at University of California-Berkeley and $25,524 at University of Florida. Median debt at graduation is $18,155 vs $19,600. Both programs lead to the same Chemical Engineering career paths — the cost difference is the main factor in ROI.
Data: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (earnings, debt), Bureau of Labor Statistics 2024-2034 (employment projections), OpenAI GPTs-are-GPTs research (AI task exposure), Felten et al. AIOE. Scenarios use a continuous weighting function combining AI exposure and BLS job growth projections. "Earnings Multiple" is total 10-year projected earnings divided by tuition — not a discounted financial ROI. Last updated 2025.