Are you ready to work in the nation’s top laboratories and chemical institutions? You can start with a degree from one of five Virginia schools. Three schools offer Associate’s degree programs. All five Virginia schools have Bachelor’s, Master’s, and doctoral degree programs. The average cost of tuition in this state is $13,100 per semester.
Before you can select a school and begin planning your education, you have to decide which type of degree you want to earn! A Bachelor’s degree is the most popular choice across the country, since it offers a huge amount of practical and theoretical experience. Plan on spending four to five years in school to earn this degree. A Master’s degree or PhD may be good choices for students that already have a Bachelor’s degree in a science field. Plan on spending an additional two to eight years in school to earn a post-graduate degree.
Courses vary between degree programs. To get your required 120 credits for a Bachelor’s degree, you may take courses like Introduction to Polymers, Principles of Chemical Engineering, and Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics. Master’s and doctoral degree programs often require courses like Mass Transfer, Chemical Engineering Kinetics, and Chemical Reactor Analysis.
Tuition rates vary widely in Virginia, but there are quite a few affordable schools in the state. One of the most affordable schools in Virginia is Virginia Tech, where tuition is $4,808 per semester for residents and $12,384 for non-residents. Washington and Lee University is one of the most expensive schools in the state, with an annual tuition rate of $44,660.
Looking for scholarships can help you save money on your education, including books, room & board, and tuition. At Virginia Commonwealth University, you can apply for the Presidential Scholarship, the Provost Scholarship, and the Henrico Country Scholarship.
Now that you have completed your education, you can join more than 1,000 chemical engineers in Virginia. O*Net reports that the average salary for a Virginia chemical engineer is $113,200 per year.
If you want to earn your Professional Engineer license, you must go through the Board for Architects, Professional Engineers, Land Surveyors, Certified Interior Designers and Landscape Architects. Once you become licensed, you can also join the Virginia Society of Professional Engineers and take advantage of their career resources.