Masters in Chemical Engineering

Students that complete their Master of Science or a Master of engineering in Chemical Engineering are most likely to be placed as the following according to the current trends:

1. Process Engineer

Chemical (Process) Engineers have to design, develop, modify new processes that are involved in the production of oil, textiles, special chemicals, pharmaceuticals, polymers, food, ceramics, etc. Production of anything that involves chemical processes as the dominant component in all tasks would require chemical process engineers. Often the placement would be based on the area of the student’s specialization. Their chief responsibilities would be designing and testing new processes with the use of process simulation software, supervision of plant operations, assessing safety and environmental issues, installation of equipment and troubleshooting the problems that hinder the pace or progress of processes.

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2. Reservoir Engineer

Reservoir Engineers work in the oil and natural gas sector. Their chief responsibilities include surveying and testing wells, using computer modeling and imaging software for connecting drilling and fracturing to the area of deposits, chalking out drilling plans, surveying of reservoirs, monitoring the health of reservoirs and studying their history. They also need to oversee the injection of water, steam, gases and chemicals to extract more oil. They could also be overseeing the installation and maintenance of drilling equipment. They often work with geosciences specialists to understand the geological formations that contain oil and natural gas.

3. Petroleum Engineer

Petroleum Engineers usually team up with geosciences experts to perform a number of duties. Their chief task is to design and develop methods and processes for the extraction of oil and natural gas. They are the ones who have to recommend drilling procedures while taking into account efficiency, cost, safety and returns. They have to oversee the drilling operations and their results so that equipment, tools and methods can be modified or replaced. Unlike reservoir engineers or smart oilfield technologists, Petroleum Engineers need to engage with all the aspects of drilling and production of hydrocarbons.

Chemical Engineering master’s is one of the degrees that is going to witness the broadening of its scope and growth in its demand. One of the reasons is that a number of processes associated with the chemical processes in key industries that employ chemical engineering talent like petrochemicals, textile, fertilizers and manufacturing are increasingly becoming dependent on artificial intelligence. On one hand, it will reduce the need for junior scientists and engineers, and on the other, these industries would become increasingly dependent on chemical engineering master’s with specialization/s. The growth in CE jobs is projected above the average at 8% till 2026 in the US. While the figure for Europe would be more or less the same, the demand is surely going to be greater in developing countries where MNCs and local corporations are expanding their operations. This would also lead to a hike in MS in Chemical Engineering salary.

The average annual salary range is already $72k to $108k. Those in the petrochemicals and oil and natural gas sectors get paid better than those in the pharmaceuticals or textile sector. CE salary has increased at about 1.5% in the recent past. Going by these trends, it is a wise decision to study MS in Chemical Engineering with a specialization even if the Masters in Chemical Engineering fees is slightly on the higher side. The formula here is simple, the greater the specialization in a particular area of chemical engineering, more the salary one can expect after graduating.