Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College Chemistry: earnings, debt & careers

Chemistry graduates of Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College earn a median $65,230 four years after graduating ($47,009 after one year), with median federal loan debt of $27,000. That is $1,256 below the U.S. median for Chemistry graduates ($66,486 across 209 colleges), and ranks 9th of 12 Pennsylvania colleges.

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Earnings, 4 years after graduating
$65,230

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

College Scorecard field of study; 32 graduates with earnings reported. A small group, so treat this figure with caution

Earnings, 1 year after
$47,009

Median for graduates who received federal aid.

College Scorecard field of study

Median debt at graduation
$27,000

About 41% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $23,600.

College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)

What your family pays
$24,558 /yr

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

Sticker price $34,081. College Scorecard.

Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College Chemistry: pay against the field, and payback

Same major, other colleges

Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College graduates$65,230
Pennsylvania median (12 colleges)$70,206 (−$4,976)
U.S. median (209 colleges)$66,486 (−$1,256)

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 Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College'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$16,092$70,1612.4 years
$30–48k$17,884$77,9742.6 years
$48–75k$20,539$89,5503.0 years
$75–110k$26,914$117,3454.0 years
$110k+$29,692$129,4574.4 years

Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.4 years, the average time graduates took (32% 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 ($65,230) minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in PA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $29,433 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 Pennsylvania colleges

Every Pennsylvania 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
1Drexel University$82,185$29,667$38,50978%
2Temple University$78,052$24,000$28,19875%
3East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania$73,146—$18,13443%
4University of Pittsburgh-Bradford$70,206$27,000$15,35048%
5University of Pittsburgh-Greensburg$70,206$27,000$17,94540%
6University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown$70,206$27,000$18,20256%
7University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus$70,206$27,000$30,43486%
8Millersville University of Pennsylvania$69,998$20,250$20,78758%
9Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College$65,230$27,000$24,55844%
10Pennsylvania State University$65,230$27,000$32,87586%
11Pennsylvania Western University$65,224—$18,25652%
12Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania$63,088—$15,69954%

66 more Pennsylvania colleges offer Chemistry but have too few graduates to report earnings.

Careers for Chemistry graduates

Chemist

Pennsylvania$77,090
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

Erie area$65,870
Pennsylvania$78,800
U.S.$72,040

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

Data Scientists

Erie area$79,560
Pennsylvania$106,850
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 Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College, by income

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

College Scorecard

About Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College

Related majors at Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College

Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College Chemistry questions

How much do Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College Chemistry graduates earn?

Chemistry graduates of Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College earn a median $65,230 four years after graduating and $47,009 one year after. The U.S. median for Chemistry graduates across 209 colleges is $66,486.

How much debt do Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College Chemistry graduates have?

The median federal loan debt for Chemistry graduates of Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College is $27,000, about 41% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $23,600.

Is Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College a good school for Chemistry in Pennsylvania?

On pay, Chemistry graduates of Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College earn $65,230 four years out, $4,976 below the median for the same major across 12 Pennsylvania colleges ($70,206) and $1,256 below the U.S. median ($66,486). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.

Where does Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College rank for Chemistry in Pennsylvania?

Of 12 Pennsylvania colleges reporting Chemistry graduate earnings, Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College ranks 9th. The highest is Drexel University at $82,185.

What jobs do Chemistry graduates get?

A common career is chemist, with a median wage of $77,090 in Pennsylvania 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: “Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Erie-Behrend College Chemistry: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/pennsylvania-state-university-penn-state-erie-behrend-college/majors/chemistry (College Scorecard and BLS data).