Home › University of Houston-Downtown › Chemistry

Chemistry at University of Houston-Downtown

Houston, TX · Public · Bachelor's Degree
56 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
57
Optimistic
56
Base Case
56
Pessimistic
Earnings $38,954/yr (-6% vs median)
AI Risk High (47% exposed)
Job Market Very Large (169,700 openings/yr)
ROI 17.7x earnings multiple (7.7x out-of-state)
Ranked #116 of 205 Chemistry programs

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Chemistry graduates.

Optimistic
No Disruption		 Base Case
Gradual AI		 Pessimistic
Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings $549K $545K $503K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 17.8x 17.7x 16.3x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 7.7x 7.7x 7.1x
Probability of Field Employment 57% 54% 38%
DegreeOutlook Score 57 56 56

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$30,832
Out-of-state: $71,152 (7.7x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$58,492
-90% less than sticker · See by income
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$54,946
41% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

First-year earnings of $38,954 track close to the $41,256 national median for Chemistry programs. This is a middle-of-the-road outcome on salary alone.

The 17.7x 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 8% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

At #116 out of 205 programs, University of Houston-Downtown's financial outcomes for Chemistry trail the majority of peers. The value case depends on other factors.

The five-year earnings trajectory from $38,954 to $54,946 shows 41% growth, reflecting steady but unremarkable salary progression.

About University of Houston-Downtown

University of Houston-Downtown has a 91% acceptance rate, making it broadly accessible, with a mid-sized student body of 12,812 in Houston, TX. With 52% of students on Pell Grants, the campus draws from a broad economic spectrum.

See all programs and financial aid at University of Houston-Downtown →

Top Career Paths

Natural sciences managers $161,180/yr
Computer and information research scientists $140,910/yr
Data scientists $112,590/yr
View all 14 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Compare this program → View all 205 schools offering Chemistry →

Chemistry at Other Schools

Northeastern University ($62,511) University of California-Berkeley ($59,576) Montclair State University ($55,389) Bridgewater State University ($55,376) University of Delaware ($54,055) Rowan University ($53,607) Towson University ($52,765) State University of New York at Oswego ($52,645)

Other Majors at University of Houston-Downtown

Computer Engineering Technologies/Technicians ($68,144) Computer and Information Sciences, General ($56,475) Accounting and Related Services ($54,128) Business Administration, Management and Operations ($53,764) Quality Control and Safety Technologies/Technicians ($51,840) Management Information Systems and Services ($51,314) Geological and Earth Sciences/Geosciences ($50,894) Mathematics ($49,496)

Explore the Trade Alternative

Compare Chemistry trade programs on TradeSchoolWorth →

Not every career requires a four-year degree. Trade programs in related fields can offer competitive salaries with a fraction of the student loan burden.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does University of Houston-Downtown's Chemistry program score?
A score of 56/100 reflects decent absolute metrics, but University of Houston-Downtown trails the majority of Chemistry programs on relative rankings. Context matters more than the raw number.
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.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →