Chemistry: degree ROI, salary & best colleges
Chemistry graduates earn a median $65,120 four years after finishing — $16,760/yr above the $48,360 high-school baseline. At a typical $16,906/yr net price ($67,624 over four years), that pays back in about 4 years. Federal data pools 1,004 bachelor's programs graduating roughly 13,771 students a year. (Scorecard field-of-study, 2026 · our math.)
Chemistry ranks #90 of 202 bachelor's fields by earnings — pays more than 56% of majors.
| # | College | State | Grad earnings |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | College of the Holy Cross | MA | $93,122 |
| 2 | The College of New Jersey | NJ | $90,396 |
| 3 | Northeastern University | MA | $88,364 |
| 4 | New York University | NY | $86,197 |
| 5 | University of Connecticut | CT | $84,609 |
| 6 | University of Connecticut-Stamford | CT | $84,609 |
| 7 | University of Connecticut-Hartford Campus | CT | $84,609 |
| 8 | University of Delaware | DE | $84,428 |
| 9 | University of California-Berkeley | CA | $82,386 |
| 10 | Drexel University | PA | $82,185 |
| 11 | University of New Hampshire-Main Campus | NH | $82,185 |
| 12 | University of Oregon | OR | $81,984 |
College Scorecard field-of-study (2026), program-level median earnings for this CIP · our ranking.
How we compute this. Earnings are the national median for graduates of this field measured 1 and 4 years after completion (Scorecard field-of-study, bachelor's). Premium = 4-year earnings − the $48,360 high-school baseline. Payback = a representative 4-year net cost (median college net price × 4) ÷ premium. Field medians blend every school — a specific program can pay far more or less. Full method on the methodology page; the field ranking is on ROI by major.