Chemistryat California State University-Sacramento
Graduates earn $42,581/yr in their first year — about 3.0% above the national Chemistry average. Base-case 10-year earnings $674K; scenarios range from $595K to $685K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at CSU Sacramento
Graduates earn $42,581/yr, roughly in line with the $41,256 national median for Chemistry. The value proposition here depends on cost, not earnings.
The 22.2x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.
AI risk is moderate — 47% task exposure — and the 13% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.
The $26,263 debt-to-$42,581 income ratio translates to about 7 months of earnings. Standard loan terms should handle this comfortably.
A #20 ranking out of 205 Chemistry programs nationally puts California State University-Sacramento in the top 10% — a strong but not elite position.
Earnings growth from $42,581 to $72,393 over five years (70% increase) indicates that graduates in this field see meaningful salary progression.
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 Sacramento'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 Sacramento stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at CSU Sacramento
Other highest-scoring programs offered at CSU Sacramento, 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 Sacramento
How does California State University-Sacramento's Chemistry program score?
This program scores 66/100, reflecting respectable but not exceptional financial outcomes for Chemistry graduates.
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.