Carnegie Mellon University School of Chemical Engineering

Higher Education – Chemical Engineeringcheme.engineering.cmu.edu

The Department of Chemical Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University offers BS, master's, and Ph.D. programs with a computational focus, serving undergraduate and graduate students globally through direct admissions and industry-employer partnerships.

Company typePrivate
Founded1900
HeadquartersPittsburgh, United States
Headcount51–100
GTM typeB2C
OfferingServices

What Carnegie Mellon University School of Chemical Engineering does

Carnegie Mellon University's Department of Chemical Engineering is an academic unit within the College of Engineering, offering a BS in Chemical Engineering (ranked 11th nationally by U.S. News & World Report), an Integrated Master's/Bachelor's accelerated program, four specialized master's programs (MS-Applied Study/MChE, MS-CSE, MS in AIE-ChE for AI engineering, and MS-BTPE for bioprocess technology and pharmaceutical engineering), and a Ph.D. program. The department's distinguishing technical identity is a computational focus, integrating Python programming, machine learning, statistical modeling, and process simulation into coursework, with research strengths spanning air quality and climate, autonomous and data-driven sciences, biotechnology and pharmaceutical engineering, catalysis, energy and decarbonization, process systems engineering, and soft materials. Faculty-developed tools include Claude-Light (an autonomous lab control system), litdb (a vector-search literature curation package), and design-of-experiments methods for high-throughput formulation.

The department operates on a hybrid academic revenue model: tuition and fees (with Ph.D. students fully funded through fellowships covering tuition, fees, and living expenses, while master's students are predominantly self-supported), federal and industry research grants (NIH, DARPA, DOE, NSF, and corporate partners), and philanthropic gifts channeled through the Chemical Engineering Fund and Doherty Hall Renovation Fund. It serves undergraduate and graduate student segments recruited globally through direct admissions and virtual information sessions, and an industry-employer segment hiring graduates via Handshake and longstanding corporate partnerships. Notable industry partners include Procter & Gamble (12-year research collaboration), Waters Corporation (University Pathway Program with internships, scholarships, and mentorship), Dow (fluid-interface research), the National Energy Technology Laboratory (multi-decade DOE-funded partnership), and the Center for Advanced Process Decision-making (CAPD) industrial consortium. Faculty placement of graduates into Moderna, Merck, PepsiCo, Procter & Gamble, Deloitte, Accenture, Avery Dennison, and Naval Nuclear Laboratory, alongside a $80,000 median starting salary for bachelor's graduates (classes 2022-2024), demonstrates strong employer demand for the department's computational and research-trained output.

Carnegie Mellon University School of Chemical Engineering firmographics

Firmographics

Name: Carnegie Mellon University School of Chemical Engineering
Legal name: Carnegie Mellon University Department of Chemical Engineering
Website: https://cheme.engineering.cmu.edu
Company type: Private
Founded year: 1900
Operating status: Operating
Headcount range: 51–100 employees
Short description: The Department of Chemical Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University offers BS, master's, and Ph.D. programs with a computational focus, serving undergraduate and graduate students globally through direct admissions and industry-employer partnerships.
Ownership category
akta.pro rank

Carnegie Mellon University School of Chemical Engineering industry classification

Industry

Product category: Higher Education – Chemical Engineering
NAICS: Research and Development in Nanotechnology (541713)
SIC: Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731), Services-Engineering Services (8711)
akta.pro primary industry: Engineering & Technology Institutes (Comprehensive) (EDAHAEAA)
akta.pro secondary industry: Polytechnic & Applied Sciences Universities (EDAHAEAB)

Keywords

Chemical engineering education
Graduate research programs
Process systems engineering
Computational chemical engineering
Drug delivery research

Where Carnegie Mellon University School of Chemical Engineering is headquartered

Location

Headquarters

HQ city: Pittsburgh
HQ country: United States
HQ region: North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

Carnegie Mellon University School of Chemical Engineering business model

Business model

GTM type: B2C
Offering type: Services
Cost components: Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

Tuition and Fees: Revenue from undergraduate and graduate student tuition. Graduate programs include Ph.D. (with financial aid covering tuition, fees, and living expenses) and self-supported master's students. Application fees of $75 per application.
Research Grants and Funding: Federal and industry research funding from agencies including NIH, DARPA, DOE, NSF, and corporate partners. Financial aid awarded as research assistantships based on departmental resources.
Donations and Giving: Gifts to the Department enabling cutting-edge research. Specific funds include Chemical Engineering Fund, Doherty Hall Renovation Fund. Corporate partnership opportunities for research sponsorship and student engagement.
Professional Development Services: PPG Professional Development Fund enables sophomores, juniors, and seniors to participate in conferences and professional development opportunities. Waters University Pathway Program provides internships, scholarships, and mentorship.

Pricing tiers

Model	Billing	Price
Subscription	Annual	Ph.D. Program - Financial Aid Covered
One time/ perpetual license	One time/ perpetual license	Graduate Application Fee
Subscription	Annual	Master's Programs - Self-Supported

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Carnegie Mellon University School of Chemical Engineering product offering

Product offering

Core offering

The Department of Chemical Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University delivers accredited undergraduate (BS) and graduate (Ph.D. and multiple master's tracks) education in chemical engineering, distinguished by a computational focus integrating Python, machine learning, and process simulation. The department also conducts sponsored research across sustainability, biotechnology, catalysis, and process systems engineering, supported by industry and federal grants.

Product overview

The Department of Chemical Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University offers a unified portfolio of educational programs centered on chemical engineering. The core offerings include a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering (ranked 11th nationally), multiple master's programs (MS-Applied Study/MChE, MS-CSE, MS in AIE-ChE, MS-BTPE, and Curated Electives), and a Ph.D. program. The department also offers an Integrated Master's/Bachelor's (IMB) accelerated degree. All programs feature a unique computational focus, with the bachelor's program incorporating Python programming, machine learning, and statistical modeling skills. Graduate programs emphasize numerical methods, computational fluid mechanics, process simulation, and optimization. The programs share a common emphasis on hands-on research, with facilities in Doherty Hall including the Robert Rothfus Laboratory and Lubrizol Analytical Laboratory. Research areas span air quality and climate, autonomous and data-driven sciences, biotechnology and pharmaceutical engineering, catalysis, energy and decarbonization, process systems engineering, and soft materials.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

BS in Chemical Engineering Four-year Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering program ranked 11th nationally by U.S. News & World Report, equipping students with molecular property understanding, process design, computational tools including Python, and hands-on research in sustainability, biotechnology, and energy.
Ph.D. Program in Chemical Engineering Doctoral program preparing independent researchers who apply chemical engineering principles and advanced analytical and experimental techniques to open-ended problems; virtually all Ph.D. students receive financial aid covering tuition, fees, and living expenses.
MS, Applied Study / MChE Master's degree program providing applied study in chemical engineering with a computational focus, preparing students for careers in industry or academia.
MS-CSE (Computational Science and Engineering) Master's program combining computational science and engineering approaches with chemical engineering applications.
MS in AIE-ChE (AI Engineering for Chemical Engineering) Master's program focused on artificial intelligence engineering applications in chemical engineering, available only for fall admission.
MS-BTPE (Bioprocess Technology and Pharmaceutical Engineering) Master's program specializing in bioprocess technology and pharmaceutical engineering, available only for fall admission.
Integrated Master's/Bachelor's (IMB) Degree Accelerated five-year program allowing students to earn both a bachelor's and master's degree in chemical engineering, providing advanced training for cutting-edge research or Ph.D. pursuits.

Quantifiable outcome

Median starting salary of $80,000 for classes of 2022-2024 graduates
+3 more outcomes

Companies that use Carnegie Mellon University School of Chemical Engineering

Customer profile

Named customers10 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Carnegie Mellon University School of Chemical Engineering technology and API

Technology

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API: No
API docs
API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Carnegie Mellon University School of Chemical Engineering partnerships and signals

Strategic signal

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

Waters CorporationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWaters University Pathway Program partnership providing internship, scholarship, and mentorship opportunities for chemical engineering students. Partnership includes field service engineering internships at pharmaceutical and clinical client sites, annual scholarship, and mentoring from Waters field service engineers.
Procter & Gamble CompanycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner12-year research collaboration with Procter & Gamble involving fundamental studies that help guide product formulation. Includes process systems engineering work to make manufacturing processes more sustainable and understanding of Marangoni instability at oil/water interfaces.
DowcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMathematical collaboration with Dow on properties at fluid-fluid interfaces including surface tension prediction research. Aditya Khair's fundamental research is part of collaboration with Dow.
National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDecades-long research partnership between NETL and Carnegie Mellon University with established pipeline between institutions. Chemical engineering faculty including Lorenz Biegler and Chrysanthos Gounaris received $400,000 DOE award for collaborative research.
Dortmund University (Germany)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudy abroad partnership with top-tier academic institution in Germany for chemical engineering majors.
Imperial College London (UK)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudy abroad partnership with top-tier academic institution in the United Kingdom for chemical engineering majors.
RWTH Aachen (Germany)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudy abroad partnership with top-tier academic institution in Germany for chemical engineering majors.
Universidad Nacional del Litoral (Argentina)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudy abroad partnership with top-tier academic institution in Argentina for chemical engineering majors. Faculty member Ignacio Grossmann conducted Fulbright teaching at this institution.
Yonsei University (South Korea)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudy abroad partnership with top-tier academic institution in South Korea for chemical engineering majors.
Scott Institute for Energy InnovationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Scott Institute for Energy Innovation supporting Aisulu Aitbekova's symposium on emerging catalytic approaches coupling light and heat. Ana Torres received 2025 seed grant for clean hydrogen production research.
Center for Advanced Process Decision-making (CAPD)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustrial consortium led by Carnegie Mellon with industry partners collaborating on optimization and decision-making research for chemical processes.
National Science Foundation Center for Computer Assisted SynthesiscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGabe Gomes and computational chemistry/computer science experts collaborating to speed up materials discovery through NSF-funded center.
Phipps Conservatory and Botanical GardensminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudents applied chemical reaction engineering principles to model water reuse systems at the Center for Sustainable Landscapes.
Naval Nuclear LaboratorycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMaterials science and engineering and chemical engineering faculty collaboration on projects supported by Naval Nuclear Laboratory to create additively manufactured structural alloys for extreme environments.
Boston ScientificminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMedical device company where Ph.D. student Abraham Polanco worked before pursuing graduate studies.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Carnegie Mellon University School of Chemical Engineering competitors and assessment

Company assessment

Direct peers

Stanford University Department of Chemical Engineering: Top-ranked ChemE department at Stanford with parallel offerings in BS, MS, and PhD, strong biotechnology and energy research, and similar industry-funded lab structure (e.g., Precourt Institute partnerships).
UC Berkeley Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering: Top-ranked ChemE program at a leading public research university, with comparable research areas in catalysis, biotechnology, and process systems, and similar graduate placement into pharma, energy, and tech employers.
MIT Department of Chemical Engineering: Top-ranked chemical engineering department at a peer private research university, offering BS, MS, and PhD programs with comparable research intensity, computational focus, and industry-funded research collaborations.
University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering: Major public-university ChemE program with comparable BS, MS, and PhD programs, deep research in process systems engineering, and historically strong ties to chemical industry employers.
Georgia Tech School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering: Top-ranked public-university ChemE program with comparable BS, MS, and PhD offerings, deep industry ties across the Southeast, and similar process systems and biotechnology research strengths.
University of Texas at Austin McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering: Top-ranked public-university ChemE department with parallel BS, MS, and PhD programs, strong energy and process systems research, and similar placement into major chemical, pharma, and energy employers.
University of Michigan Department of Chemical Engineering: Large public-university ChemE department with parallel BS, MS, and PhD programs, broad research portfolio in biotechnology and energy, and similarly strong industry placement track record.
California Institute of Technology Chemical Engineering: Caltech's chemical engineering division offers small-cohort graduate and undergraduate programs with similar emphasis on fundamentals, computation, and industry-relevant research at a top-tier private STEM institution.
Purdue University Davidson School of Chemical Engineering: Large and historically prominent ChemE school with parallel degree programs, strong process systems engineering legacy, and deep corporate partnerships similar to CMU ChemE's industry model.
Princeton University Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering: Elite private-university ChemE department with BS, MS, and PhD programs, strong research in biotechnology and energy, and similar small-cohort, high-impact graduate training model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

Carnegie Mellon University School of Chemical Engineering financial estimates

Financial estimate

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Carnegie Mellon University School of Chemical Engineering leadership team

Management profile

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Carnegie Mellon University School of Chemical Engineering funding detail

Funding detail

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Carnegie Mellon University School of Chemical Engineering M&A and investment

M&A and investment

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Carnegie Mellon University School of Chemical Engineering

What does Carnegie Mellon University School of Chemical Engineering do?

Is Carnegie Mellon University School of Chemical Engineering a public or private company?

Carnegie Mellon University School of Chemical Engineering is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.

When was Carnegie Mellon University School of Chemical Engineering founded?

Carnegie Mellon University School of Chemical Engineering was founded in 1900. It employs 51 to 100 people.

Where is Carnegie Mellon University School of Chemical Engineering based?

Carnegie Mellon University School of Chemical Engineering is headquartered in Pittsburgh, United States, in the North America region.

How does Carnegie Mellon University School of Chemical Engineering make money?

Four revenue lines are on record. Tuition and Fees are the primary driver. The others are research Grants and Funding, donations and Giving and professional Development Services.

Who are Carnegie Mellon University School of Chemical Engineering's main competitors?

Direct peers on record are Stanford University Department of Chemical Engineering, UC Berkeley Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, MIT Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Georgia Tech School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Texas at Austin McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Michigan Department of Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology Chemical Engineering, Purdue University Davidson School of Chemical Engineering and Princeton University Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering.

Does Carnegie Mellon University School of Chemical Engineering have an API?

No public API is recorded for Carnegie Mellon University School of Chemical Engineering.

What industry is Carnegie Mellon University School of Chemical Engineering in?

Carnegie Mellon University School of Chemical Engineering's product category is Higher Education – Chemical Engineering. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAHAEAA, Engineering & Technology Institutes (Comprehensive), with a secondary code of EDAHAEAB, Polytechnic & Applied Sciences Universities. Its NAICS code is 541713 and its SIC code is 8731.