Chemistry Degree

205 schools compared · Average earnings $41,257/yr

Students study the composition, properties, and reactions of matter, including organic, inorganic, physical, and analytical chemistry through rigorous coursework and extensive laboratory training. Graduates typically pursue careers in pharmaceutical companies, chemical manufacturing, forensic laboratories, environmental testing, and academic research, or continue to medical school, pharmacy school, or graduate programs. Chemistry is a foundational science that opens doors to diverse STEM careers.

What Chemistry Graduates Do

Your chemistry degree prepares you for more than just a lab coat. Many graduates apply their analytical skills to high-growth tech fields. As a data scientist, you won't be mixing solutions but building predictive models, using code to analyze vast datasets for industries from finance to healthcare. This path is exploding, but AI is also fundamentally reshaping it. Your value will lie in designing systems and making critical judgments on AI-generated insights, as many junior-level tasks become automated.

Alternatively, you can pursue a traditional hands-on science route. You might start as a chemical technician running quality control tests before advancing to a chemist role, designing new compounds. With experience, you could lead a research team as a natural sciences manager. These lab-focused roles have lower AI exposure due to their physical nature, a genuine advantage. A third common path, teaching high school chemistry, also has low AI risk but faces declining job growth overall, a significant headwind to consider.

Schools Offering
205
Avg Grad Earnings
$41,257/yr
Avg DegreeOutlook Score
55/100
AI Automation Risk
High
49% task exposure

Common Career Paths

Where Chemistry graduates typically work, ranked by salary. Salary ranges show 25th–75th percentile spread. This field has roughly 169,700 combined openings per year.

Career Path Salary Range Openings/yr Growth AI Risk
Natural sciences managers
$161,180
$114K$215K
8,500 +3.7% 50%
Computer and information research scientists
$140,910
$103K$181K
3,200 +19.7% 63%
Data scientists
$112,590
$83K$156K
23,400 +33.5% 64%
Computer occupations, all other
$108,970
$76K$148K
31,300 +8.2% 57%
Physics teachers, postsecondary
$97,360
$67K$130K
1,300 +2.5% 42%
Environmental science teachers, postsecondary
$87,710
$64K$125K
700 +2.9% 52%
Chemistry teachers, postsecondary
$86,220
$65K$126K
1,900 +2.2% 43%
Chemists
$84,150
$64K$120K
6,300 +4.9% 38%
Environmental scientists and specialists, including health
$80,060
$62K$104K
8,500 +4.4% 53%
Forensic science technicians
$67,440
$53K$89K
2,900 +12.8% 39%
Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education
$64,580
$58K$83K
66,200 -1.6% 33%
Chemical technicians
$57,790
$47K$73K
6,700 +3.7% 39%
Environmental science and protection technicians, including health
$49,490
$38K$64K
5,600 +4.0% 46%
Food science technicians
$49,430
$44K–$61K
3,200 +4.8% 36%
Natural sciences managers
$161,180
$114K $215K
8,500 openings/yr +3.7% growth 50% AI risk
Computer and information research scientists
$140,910
$103K $181K
3,200 openings/yr +19.7% growth 63% AI risk
Data scientists
$112,590
$83K $156K
23,400 openings/yr +33.5% growth 64% AI risk
Computer occupations, all other
$108,970
$76K $148K
31,300 openings/yr +8.2% growth 57% AI risk
Physics teachers, postsecondary
$97,360
$67K $130K
1,300 openings/yr +2.5% growth 42% AI risk
Environmental science teachers, postsecondary
$87,710
$64K $125K
700 openings/yr +2.9% growth 52% AI risk
Chemistry teachers, postsecondary
$86,220
$65K $126K
1,900 openings/yr +2.2% growth 43% AI risk
Chemists
$84,150
$64K $120K
6,300 openings/yr +4.9% growth 38% AI risk
Environmental scientists and specialists, including health
$80,060
$62K $104K
8,500 openings/yr +4.4% growth 53% AI risk
Forensic science technicians
$67,440
$53K $89K
2,900 openings/yr +12.8% growth 39% AI risk
Secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education
$64,580
$58K $83K
66,200 openings/yr -1.6% growth 33% AI risk
Chemical technicians
$57,790
$47K $73K
6,700 openings/yr +3.7% growth 39% AI risk
Environmental science and protection technicians, including health
$49,490
$38K $64K
5,600 openings/yr +4.0% growth 46% AI risk
Food science technicians
$49,430
$44K–$61K
3,200 openings/yr +4.8% growth 36% AI risk

Source: BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics, May 2024. Salary range shows 25th–median–75th percentile (national).

Best Schools for Chemistry

Top 20 of 205 schools ranked by DegreeOutlook Score. Click any row for full AI scenario analysis and earnings projections.

# School DW Score Earnings ROI
1 California State University-Long Beach
Long Beach, CA
73
69–73
$50,553/yr 27.7x
2 Bridgewater State University
Bridgewater, MA
72
68–73
$55,376/yr 17.2x
3 San Francisco State University
San Francisco, CA
71
69–72
$44,140/yr 30.9x
4 Towson University
Towson, MD
70
66–71
$52,765/yr 16.5x
5 University of Houston
Houston, TX
70
66–70
$50,717/yr 18.2x
6 Western Washington University
Bellingham, WA
70
66–71
$48,527/yr 19.9x
7 Rhode Island College
Providence, RI
70
67–71
$44,648/yr 20.4x
8 University of Wisconsin-Whitewater
Whitewater, WI
69
66–70
$48,903/yr 20.3x
9 East Carolina University
Greenville, NC
69
65–69
$47,875/yr 21.8x
10 University of North Alabama
Florence, AL
68
64–68
$49,497/yr 14.9x
11 University of Wisconsin-Madison
Madison, WI
68
64–68
$48,886/yr 15.5x
12 University of Wisconsin-Platteville
Platteville, WI
67
63–68
$49,386/yr 18.1x
13 University of Maryland-College Park
College Park, MD
67
64–68
$46,140/yr 16.0x
14 Ohio University-Eastern Campus
Saint Clairsville, OH
67
65–68
$43,349/yr 28.0x
15 Ohio University-Chillicothe Campus
Chillicothe, OH
67
65–68
$43,349/yr 28.0x
16 Ohio University-Southern Campus
Ironton, OH
67
65–68
$43,349/yr 28.0x
17 Ohio University-Lancaster Campus
Lancaster, OH
67
65–68
$43,349/yr 28.0x
18 Ohio University-Zanesville Campus
Zanesville, OH
67
65–68
$43,349/yr 28.0x
19 University of Delaware
Newark, DE
66
62–67
$54,055/yr 11.0x
20 Rowan University
Glassboro, NJ
66
62–67
$53,607/yr 11.1x

Highest Earning Chemistry Programs

Schools where Chemistry graduates earn the most in their first year after graduation.

Best ROI for Chemistry

Schools with the highest earnings-to-tuition ratio for Chemistry.

School ROI Multiple Earnings DW Score
University of North Carolina at Pembroke 33.1x $35,579/yr 53
Western Carolina University 31.4x $26,513/yr 49
San Francisco State University 30.9x $44,140/yr 71
Kennesaw State University 28.5x $38,790/yr 63
Ohio University-Eastern Campus 28.0x $43,349/yr 67
Ohio University-Chillicothe Campus 28.0x $43,349/yr 67
Ohio University-Southern Campus 28.0x $43,349/yr 67
Ohio University-Lancaster Campus 28.0x $43,349/yr 67
Ohio University-Zanesville Campus 28.0x $43,349/yr 67
California State University-Long Beach 27.7x $50,553/yr 73
Want to compare two Chemistry programs side by side? Use the comparison tool →

Related Majors

Explore similar fields of study.

Consider the Trade Route

Not sure a 4-year degree is the right path? Trade programs in Chemistry offer shorter timelines, lower debt, and strong AI resilience for hands-on careers.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much do Chemistry graduates earn?
Across 205 schools, Chemistry graduates earn an average of $41,257 per year in their first year after graduation. Earnings range from $16,465 to $62,511 depending on the school.
What is the AI automation risk for Chemistry?
Chemistry is rated "High" for AI automation risk, with an average of 49% of job tasks exposed to large language models and AI tools. This means some career tasks in this field could be augmented or replaced by AI over the next decade.
Which school has the best Chemistry program?
Based on our DegreeOutlook Score (combining earnings, AI resilience, job market size, and ROI), California State University-Long Beach ranks #1 for Chemistry with a score of 73/100 and graduate earnings of $50,553/yr.
What's the outlook for a Chemistry degree?
On average, Chemistry graduates earn 12.8x their in-state tuition over 10 years. This is a strong return on investment.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →