Chemistry at University of Utah

Salt Lake City, UT · Public · Bachelor's Degree
62 /100
DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition
63
Optimistic
62
Base Case
61
Pessimistic
Earnings $41,275/yr (0% vs median)
AI Risk High (47% exposed)
Job Market Very Large (169,700 openings/yr)
ROI 16.9x earnings multiple (5.3x out-of-state)
Ranked #55 of 205 Chemistry programs Top 50%

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 $640K $631K $565K
Earnings Multiple (In-State) 17.2x 16.9x 15.2x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) 5.4x 5.3x 4.7x
Probability of Field Employment 57% 54% 38%
DegreeOutlook Score 63 62 61

10-Year Earnings Projection

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

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)
$37,260
Out-of-state: $119,348 (5.3x ROI)
4-Year Net Price (After Aid)
$52,688
-41% less than sticker · See by income
Median Debt at Graduation
$15,921
4.6 months of Year 1 earnings
Reported Earnings (5 Year)
$66,729
62% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

Graduates earn $41,275/yr, roughly in line with the $41,256 national median for Chemistry. The value proposition here depends on cost, not earnings.

The 16.9x 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 12% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

With first-year pay of $41,275 far exceeding the $15,921 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.

Ranked #55 out of 205 programs, University of Utah's Chemistry offering sits in the upper half but doesn't break into the top tier.

Earnings growth from $41,275 to $66,729 over five years (62% increase) indicates that graduates in this field see meaningful salary progression.

About University of Utah

University of Utah accepts 87% of applicants — an open-access institution by design, serving a student body of 26,041 in Salt Lake City, UT.

See all programs and financial aid at University of Utah →

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

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Frequently Asked Questions

How does University of Utah's Chemistry program score?
This program scores 62/100, 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.
Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →