Field of study · CIP 40.05
Chemistry
Offered at 1,701 college programs that reported results. Here is what graduates earn and owe at each credential level, and which programs pay best.
By credential level
| Credential | Programs | Typical earnings, 1 yr | Typical earnings, 5 yrs | Typical debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Certificate | 14 | — | — | — |
| Associate | 162 | — | — | — |
| Bachelor's | 1,028 | $48,530 | $70,989 | $20,500 |
| Master's | 286 | $69,673 | $96,406 | — |
| Doctoral | 201 | $98,523 | $124,440 | — |
| Graduate certificate | 10 | — | — | — |
"Typical" is the median across programs of each program's median, counting only programs with unsuppressed data (at least three). It describes a typical program, not a national median for all graduates. Certificate figures include certificates earned at four-year colleges, often alongside a bachelor's; see degrees vs. certificates for a cleaner comparison. Source: College Scorecard field of study data.
Highest-earning associate programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Austin Community College District | TX | — | $62,219 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning bachelor's programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | College of the Holy Cross | MA | $51,144 | $112,196 | $19,000 |
| 2 | Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College | LA | $43,479 | $106,312 | $21,750 |
| 3 | Cornell University | NY | $47,020 | $106,210 | $11,351 |
| 4 | Texas A & M University-Corpus Christi | TX | — | $104,615 | — |
| 5 | University of California-Berkeley | CA | $57,704 | $98,220 | $11,000 |
| 6 | The College of New Jersey | NJ | — | $95,237 | $27,000 |
| 7 | Syracuse University | NY | $54,129 | $94,830 | — |
| 8 | Northeastern University | MA | $84,338 | $93,198 | — |
| 9 | University of Georgia | GA | $53,280 | $91,858 | $20,262 |
| 10 | University of California-San Diego | CA | $55,576 | $91,369 | $14,266 |
| 11 | Lindenwood University | MO | $53,266 | $91,131 | — |
| 12 | Drexel University | PA | $60,075 | $90,968 | $29,750 |
| 13 | East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania | PA | — | $90,806 | — |
| 14 | Bridgewater State University | MA | — | $90,740 | $28,000 |
| 15 | Temple University | PA | $54,798 | $89,218 | $27,000 |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning master's programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The University of Texas at Austin | TX | — | $139,050 | — |
| 2 | Illinois Institute of Technology | IL | $92,821 | $125,206 | — |
| 3 | University of Oregon | OR | — | $105,169 | — |
| 4 | University of California-Los Angeles | CA | — | $103,591 | — |
| 5 | University of Minnesota-Twin Cities | MN | — | $103,532 | — |
| 6 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | MI | $69,684 | $98,956 | — |
| 7 | University of North Carolina Wilmington | NC | $68,087 | $93,857 | — |
| 8 | Villanova University | PA | $88,194 | — | — |
| 9 | Georgia State University | GA | $59,518 | $81,291 | — |
| 10 | Ohio University-Main Campus | OH | $79,373 | — | — |
| 11 | Western Carolina University | NC | — | $73,698 | — |
| 12 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | IL | $71,904 | — | — |
| 13 | University of California-San Diego | CA | $69,663 | — | — |
| 14 | University of New Haven | CT | $69,135 | — | — |
| 15 | Rutgers University-Camden | NJ | — | $65,524 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Highest-earning doctoral programs
| # | College | State | Earnings, 1 yr | Earnings, 5 yrs | Median debt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Northwestern University | IL | $86,441 | $169,163 | — |
| 2 | University of California-Berkeley | CA | $75,344 | $166,400 | — |
| 3 | University of California-Santa Barbara | CA | $114,583 | $156,376 | — |
| 4 | Indiana University-Bloomington | IN | $115,070 | $155,662 | — |
| 5 | California Institute of Technology | CA | — | $150,780 | — |
| 6 | University of California-San Diego | CA | $88,202 | $144,625 | — |
| 7 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh | NC | — | $141,039 | — |
| 8 | University of Oregon | OR | $68,471 | $137,732 | — |
| 9 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor | MI | $118,439 | $136,551 | — |
| 10 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | IL | $110,341 | $136,423 | — |
| 11 | Oregon State University | OR | — | $135,559 | — |
| 12 | Oregon State University-Cascades Campus | OR | — | $135,559 | — |
| 13 | Georgia Institute of Technology-Main Campus | GA | — | $135,238 | — |
| 14 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus | WA | — | $134,263 | — |
| 15 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | MA | $98,523 | $132,577 | — |
Ranked by 5-year median earnings, or 1-year where 5-year is not reported.
Related fields
PhysicsBachelor's typical 5-yr earnings $84,353Atmospheric Sciences and MeteorologyBachelor's typical 5-yr earnings $65,842Materials SciencesBachelor's typical 5-yr earnings —Physical Sciences, OtherBachelor's typical 5-yr earnings —Geological and Earth Sciences/GeosciencesBachelor's typical 5-yr earnings $63,878Astronomy and AstrophysicsBachelor's typical 5-yr earnings —Physical Sciences, GeneralBachelor's typical 5-yr earnings $80,103
Quick answers
- How much do chemistry graduates earn?
- One year after finishing, a typical bachelor's program in chemistry reports median earnings of $48,530. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field of study data.
