Northern Arizona University Chemistry: earnings, debt & careers

Chemistry graduates of Northern Arizona University earn a median $60,630 four years after graduating ($40,845 after one year), with median federal loan debt of $21,500. That is $5,856 below the U.S. median for Chemistry graduates ($66,486 across 209 colleges), and ranks 2nd of 3 Arizona colleges.

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Earnings, 4 years after graduating
$60,630

U.S. median for this major: $66,486.

College Scorecard field of study; 71 graduates with earnings reported

Earnings, 1 year after
$40,845

Median for graduates who received federal aid.

College Scorecard field of study

Median debt at graduation
$21,500

About 35% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $23,600.

College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)

What your family pays
$14,158 /yr

Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.

Sticker price $29,933. College Scorecard.

NAU Chemistry: pay against the field, and payback

Same major, other colleges

NAU graduates$60,630
Arizona median (4 colleges)$59,438 (+$1,192)
U.S. median (209 colleges)$66,486 (−$5,856)

Median earnings 4 years after graduating; state and U.S. figures are the median of each covered college's graduates in this major. College Scorecard; calculated by EducationGuide.

Chemistry nationally: jobs, pay at ages 25-34, every state →

Cost to finish and years to pay back, by income

Uses NAU's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.

Family incomeNet price / yrCost to finishYears to pay back
$0–30k$9,709$41,0691.7 years
$30–48k$10,398$43,9841.8 years
$48–75k$13,330$56,3862.4 years
$75–110k$18,050$76,3523.2 years
$110k+$20,686$87,5023.7 years

Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (45% finished in 4 years; students who entered fall 2017, IPEDS). Years to pay back = cost to finish ÷ the earnings gain: median earnings of Chemistry graduates 4 years after graduating ($60,630) minus $36,661 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in AZ (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $23,969 a year. Before taxes, loan interest and earnings given up while in school. Method

College Scorecard; IPEDS Graduation Rates; U.S. Census Bureau ACS. Calculated by EducationGuide.

Chemistry at Arizona colleges

Every Arizona college we cover that reports Chemistry graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.

RankCollegeEarnings, 4 yrsMedian debtAvg. net priceGraduation
1University of Arizona$66,532$24,245$16,67468%
2Northern Arizona University$60,630$21,500$14,15861%
3Arizona State University Campus Immersion$58,247$21,885$14,96768%

Careers for Chemistry graduates

Chemist

Arizona$81,730
U.S.$91,240

Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +6.4% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.

Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education

Flagstaff area$57,450
Arizona$58,360
U.S.$72,040

Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs -0.2% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.

Data Scientists

Flagstaff area$95,080
Arizona$107,240
U.S.$120,230

Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs +34.6% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.

BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35. Careers from the federal major-to-occupation crosswalk.

What families pay at NAU, by income

School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.

College Scorecard

About NAU

Related majors at NAU

NAU Chemistry questions

How much do NAU Chemistry graduates earn?

Chemistry graduates of Northern Arizona University earn a median $60,630 four years after graduating and $40,845 one year after. The U.S. median for Chemistry graduates across 209 colleges is $66,486.

How much debt do NAU Chemistry graduates have?

The median federal loan debt for Chemistry graduates of Northern Arizona University is $21,500, about 35% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $23,600.

Is NAU a good school for Chemistry in Arizona?

On pay, Chemistry graduates of Northern Arizona University earn $60,630 four years out, $1,192 above the median for the same major across 4 Arizona colleges ($59,438) and $5,856 below the U.S. median ($66,486). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.

Where does NAU rank for Chemistry in Arizona?

Of 3 Arizona colleges reporting Chemistry graduate earnings, Northern Arizona University ranks 2nd. The highest is University of Arizona at $66,532.

What jobs do Chemistry graduates get?

A common career is chemist, with a median wage of $81,730 in Arizona and $91,240 nationally. Others include secondary school teachers, except special and career/technical education and data scientists.

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Sources: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (field of study: median earnings and federal loan debt of graduates who received federal aid); BLS. How we score
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Cite this: “Northern Arizona University Chemistry: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/northern-arizona-university/majors/chemistry (College Scorecard and BLS data).