2026 Best Value Chemical Engineering Schools in Indiana
[Chemical Engineering](/majors/engineering/chemical-engineering/) is a field worth comparing on the balance of cost and outcomes. The schools below stand out for delivering a strong chemical engineering education at a price that pays off.
For its 2026 best-value ranking, College Factual looked at 4 schools to find the best return on investment for chemical engineering students.
What’s on this page:
2026 Best Value Chemical Engineering Schools in Indiana
If you want to know which schools deliver the best value for the chemical engineering degrees they offer, see the list below.
Best Value Chemical Engineering Schools
Leading the list is Purdue University Main Campus, our #1 best value for chemical engineering in Indiana. Purdue University Main Campus is a very large public school located in the city of West Lafayette. Expect in-state tuition and fees of around $9,992, with out-of-state students paying around $28,794. Students borrow a median of $21,500 to complete the chemical engineering program here. Chemical Engineering graduates of Purdue University Main Campus earn a median of $81,105 early in their careers. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. Purdue University Main Campus admits about 50% of applicants.
Students looking for strong value in chemical engineering will find it at Trine University, which ranked #2. Set in the town of Angola, Trine University is a moderately-sized private not-for-profit institution. In-state tuition and fees average $36,560. Typical student debt for chemical engineering graduates is $27,000. Chemical Engineering graduates of Trine University earn a median of $72,875 early in their careers. That is a strong return on a $27,000 median debt. The acceptance rate is 86%.
University Of Notre Dame is a great value for students pursuing a degree in chemical engineering, landing the #3 spot this year. Located in the suburb of Notre Dame, University Of Notre Dame is a large private not-for-profit university. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $65,025. Typical student debt for chemical engineering graduates is $19,000. Early-career chemical engineering graduates make about $83,377. Weighed against typical debt, the earnings make a compelling case for value. University Of Notre Dame admits about 11% of applicants.
Rose Hulman Institute Of Technology came in at #4 on our 2026 list of the best value chemical engineering schools. Set in the city of Terre Haute, Rose Hulman Institute Of Technology is a mid-sized private not-for-profit institution. The average in-state cost of tuition and fees is $56,046. Typical student debt for chemical engineering graduates is $24,500. Early-career chemical engineering graduates make about $82,394. That is a strong return on a $24,500 median debt. Roughly 77% of applicants are accepted.
More Chemical Engineering Rankings
View All Chemical Engineering Rankings >
Notes and References
This ranking is produced by College Factual (MF_RANKING_2025), 2026 edition. The methodology weighs the cost of a degree against the earnings graduates go on to achieve, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (IPEDS and College Scorecard).
Ranking method: College Major Best Value · 4 schools evaluated.
*Averages shown above reflect the top 4 ranked schools only.
- The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
- Some other college data, including much of the graduate earnings data, comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard).
More about our data sources and methodologies.
