BACHELOR'S DEGREE · NATIONAL DEGREE OUTCOMES
Is a bachelor's degree in Chemistry worth it?
Compare cost, debt and earnings across 277 college programs with reportable data.
Based onObserved earnings + college priceEstimate10-year payoff
Estimated 10-year payoff
Negative payoff
−$41,781 over 10 years
National scenario across reporting bachelor's degree programs, using median year-4 earnings, their institutions’ average net prices and a typical 4-year duration.
12.0 yrsTime to earn back the modeled cost
−16%Estimated return after 10 years
$66,171Observed earnings · year 4
$7,928Highest annual price before payoff reaches $0
The price benchmark would need to fall by $10,445 per year to reach it.
Start with your decision
What do you need to compare?
PRICE SENSITIVITY
The price can change the verdict.
Hold observed earnings constant and see how the modeled ten-year payoff changes as annual price rises.
← Negative payoff$0Positive payoff →
$0Annual price+$31,710
$8,000Annual price−$290
$16,000Annual price−$32,290
$18,000Current college-wide context−$40,290
$24,000Annual price−$64,290
$32,000Annual price−$96,290
$40,000Annual price−$128,290
Outcomes at a glance
$66,171Typical earnings four years after completion
$67,836Average earnings five years after completion
$24,000Typical federal student debt
55thEarnings percentile among the same degree level
4Degrees awarded in 2024–25
213College programs reporting earnings
Degree counts come from the IPEDS Fall 2025 provisional release and cover 12 matched college records. Colleges without a match are not estimated.
Four useful answers about Chemistry
How much do Chemistry bachelor's degree graduates earn?
The national median is $66,171 four years after completion across reportable bachelor's degree programs in this federal field.
How much federal debt do graduates have?
The median reported federal debt is $24,000. The figure excludes private loans and does not describe every graduate.
Does the college matter for Chemistry?
Yes. The middle half of reporting programs ranges from $60,064 to $73,245 in observed year-4 earnings.
What careers are related to Chemistry?
DegreeVerdict links this field to 12 displayed occupations using the official federal CIP–SOC crosswalk. Occupational wages are career context, not graduate salary promises.
More schooling changes both the cost and the outcome.
Compare the same field at each degree level with reportable data. These are separate groups of graduates, so the differences do not prove that an additional degree caused higher earnings.
OPEN PROFILE
Undergraduate Certificate or Diploma
- Year-4 earnings
- $42,544
- Federal debt
- $13,818
- Programs in the comparison
- 1
Associate's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $60,787
- Federal debt
- $12,412
- Programs in the comparison
- 1
Bachelor's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $66,171
- Federal debt
- $24,000
- Programs in the comparison
- 277
Master's Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $95,163
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Programs in the comparison
- 9
Doctoral Degree
- Year-4 earnings
- $116,122
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Programs in the comparison
- 38
Non-Credential Program (Preparatory Coursework/Teacher Certification)
- Year-4 earnings
- $90,234
- Federal debt
- Not available
- Programs in the comparison
- 1
Where the middle half of programs lands
Year‑4 earnings differ by college. This band shows the 25th percentile, national median and 75th percentile among reporting programs.
Median
25th percentile$60,064National median$66,17175th percentile$73,245
213 programs report year‑4 earnings.BEFORE YOU CHOOSE
Compare price, debt and earnings together
SHORTLIST BY QUESTION
Three useful places to start
Each choice answers a different question. These are observed signals, not an overall winner.
Highest observed earnings
College of the Holy Cross
$93,122 four years after completionWorcester, MA · inspect the full program →Lowest reported federal debtUniversity of California, Berkeley
$11,172 among completer borrowersBerkeley, CA · inspect the full program →Largest recent graduating classEmory University
95 reported awards in 2024–25Atlanta, GA · inspect the full program →PRICE × EARNINGS MAP
Where colleges sit for this exact degree
Move left for a lower annual college-wide net price and up for higher observed year-4 earnings.
$88,364Observed year-4 earnings$78,270
College of the Holy Cross$38,782 price · $93,122 earningsThe College of New Jersey$27,646 price · $90,396 earningsNortheastern University$30,915 price · $88,364 earningsNew York University$37,050 price · $86,197 earningsUniversity of Connecticut$25,097 price · $84,609 earningsUniversity of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus$10,875 price · $84,609 earningsUniversity of Connecticut-Avery Point$13,807 price · $84,609 earningsUniversity of Connecticut-Stamford$16,798 price · $84,609 earningsUniversity of Connecticut-Hartford Campus$16,403 price · $84,609 earningsUniversity of Delaware$17,799 price · $84,428 earningsUniversity of California, Berkeley$13,481 price · $82,386 earningsUniversity of New Hampshire-Main Campus$23,805 price · $82,185 earningsDrexel University$38,509 price · $82,185 earningsUniversity of Oregon$22,182 price · $81,984 earningsSalem State University$15,996 price · $81,266 earningsBridgewater State University$16,383 price · $80,287 earningsCalifornia State University, Northridge$7,021 price · $79,878 earningsUniversity of Maryland-College Park$15,678 price · $79,869 earningsThe University of Tennessee-Knoxville$18,976 price · $79,736 earningsRowan University$22,408 price · $79,695 earningsWillamette University$25,121 price · $79,592 earningsCornell University$28,690 price · $79,311 earningsUniversity of Massachusetts-Dartmouth$20,927 price · $79,043 earningsEmory University$22,585 price · $79,034 earningsBoise State University$21,610 price · $78,901 earningsOregon State University$19,604 price · $78,417 earningsOregon State University-Cascades Campus$18,048 price · $78,417 earningsUniversity of Massachusetts-Amherst$22,383 price · $78,373 earningsWilliam & Mary$19,096 price · $78,270 earningsTemple University$28,198 price · $78,052 earnings
$10,875Annual college-wide average net price$37,050
Choose colleges offering this exact degree
Start with the highest-earning reported programs below, or open the full directory to search every college.
30 shortlist matchesSelect up to four · 25 shown
Search every reporting program →
See the spread, not just the national number.
1College of the Holy Cross$93,1222The College of New Jersey$90,3963Northeastern University$88,3644New York University$86,1975University of Connecticut$84,6096University of Connecticut-Waterbury Campus$84,6097University of Connecticut-Avery Point$84,6098University of Connecticut-Stamford$84,6099University of Connecticut-Hartford Campus$84,60910University of Delaware$84,428Observed year-4 earnings · top displayed records are not a universal ranking
Jobs this degree may lead to
Federal education-to-career links identify related occupations. They do not imply that every graduate enters the same job.
Pay and projected demand
Related careers do not share one outlook
Bubble size = annual openings2025–35 national projection
Higher median wage ↑
-7%Projected employment growth →37%
Occupation wages describe workers in these jobs, not graduates of this degree. BLS projections are national estimates and do not guarantee hiring.
Natural Sciences Managers$167,220 median wage108,690 jobs nationwide+8.2% projected growth through 2035 · 9,200 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$79,710–$316,850 typical wage rangeChemistry Teachers, Postsecondary$93,250 median wage19,980 jobs nationwide+2.3% projected growth through 2035 · 1,700 openings a yearTypical entry education: Doctoral or professional degree$57,870–$172,110 typical wage rangeChemists$91,240 median wage82,770 jobs nationwide+6.4% projected growth through 2035 · 5,900 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$58,460–$160,830 typical wage rangeChemical Technicians$60,390 median wage57,540 jobs nationwide+4.9% projected growth through 2035 · 7,600 openings a yearTypical entry education: Associate's degree$41,740–$92,040 typical wage rangeForensic Science Technicians$72,060 median wage19,120 jobs nationwide+13.3% projected growth through 2035 · 2,800 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$48,250–$117,250 typical wage rangeComputer and Information Research Scientists$140,300 median wage37,200 jobs nationwide+21.8% projected growth through 2035 · 2,900 openings a yearTypical entry education: Master's degree$82,200–$230,630 typical wage rangeData Scientists$120,230 median wage262,440 jobs nationwide+34.6% projected growth through 2035 · 24,800 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$67,240–$199,130 typical wage rangeComputer Occupations, All Other$116,580 median wage435,370 jobs nationwide+5.1% projected growth through 2035 · 27,000 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$55,940–$188,470 typical wage rangePhysics Teachers, Postsecondary$100,310 median wage13,090 jobs nationwide+2.4% projected growth through 2035 · 1,100 openings a yearTypical entry education: Doctoral or professional degree$60,200–$177,850 typical wage rangeEnvironmental Science Teachers, Postsecondary$94,980 median wage6,690 jobs nationwide+2.7% projected growth through 2035 · 600 openings a yearTypical entry education: Doctoral or professional degree$57,780–$164,190 typical wage rangeEnvironmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health$82,220 median wage89,250 jobs nationwide+6.1% projected growth through 2035 · 7,300 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$52,520–$140,010 typical wage rangeSecondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education$72,040 median wage1,065,210 jobs nationwide-0.2% projected growth through 2035 · 63,500 openings a yearTypical entry education: Bachelor's degree$48,780–$107,600 typical wage range
BLS May 2025 wages and 2025–35 projections. Career figures describe occupations, not graduates of a specific college.
Where this degree has enough data to compare
State pages are published only when at least five operating colleges report year-4 earnings for this exact field and credential.
CA23 programs$67,026 average earningsOH14 programs$60,701 average earningsNY14 programs$67,799 average earningsTX12 programs$63,786 average earningsPA12 programs$70,248 average earningsNC9 programs$63,691 average earningsNJ8 programs$75,690 average earningsMA8 programs$78,259 average earningsVA7 programs$72,252 average earningsIL7 programs$66,895 average earningsGA7 programs$61,316 average earningsCT7 programs$81,128 average earnings
This page keeps the field and credential level fixed. Federal categories can still combine multiple catalog programs or concentrations. Automated ROI is limited to associate and bachelor’s degrees because institution-wide annual net price is not a reliable proxy for short certificate prices. ROI is an illustrative scenario, not a federal determination.