Chemistryat California State University-Long Beach
Graduates earn $50,553/yr in their first year — about 23.0% above the national Chemistry average. Base-case 10-year earnings $711K; scenarios range from $622K to $725K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at CSU Long Beach
This program's strong performance reflects the dynamic Southern California labor market. Long Beach offers direct access to a diverse ecosystem of employers in biotech, specialty chemicals, advanced materials, and environmental consulting, all of which value rigorous scientific training. CSULB’s reputation as a practical, career-focused institution means graduates are often well-prepared for immediate entry into these industries, frequently leveraging their foundational chemistry knowledge for roles that demand strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
The listed career paths highlight how chemistry graduates pivot into high-demand, quantitatively-driven fields. While some traditional lab tasks face increasing automation (contributing to the AI risk score), your degree provides a robust intellectual toolkit. To best navigate this, focus on developing strong computational and data analysis skills alongside your core chemistry coursework, making yourself indispensable for the evolving scientific and tech landscape.
Three scenarios, ten years out
Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.
10 year projection
Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to CSU Long Beach's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.
Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.
Peer schools offering Chemistry
How CSU Long Beach stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at CSU Long Beach
Other highest-scoring programs offered at CSU Long Beach, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
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.
Compare Chemistry trade programs on TradeSchoolOutlook →Frequently asked about Chemistry at CSU Long Beach
How does California State University-Long Beach's Chemistry program score?
A score of 73/100 indicates strong financial outcomes. California State University-Long Beach's Chemistry graduates fare well on earnings, job market size, and return on investment.
How vulnerable is Chemistry to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Chemistry careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 47% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.
Why does California State University-Long Beach rank so high for Chemistry?
The #1 ranking out of 205 programs is driven by strong financial outcomes — graduates earn well, debt is manageable relative to income, and the job market supports the field.