U.S. median for this major: $66,486.
College Scorecard field of study; 22 graduates with earnings reported. A small group, so treat this figure with caution
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 33% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $23,600.
College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)
Average after grants for all families receiving federal aid. Pick your income above.
Sticker price $28,291. College Scorecard.
Salem State University Chemistry: pay against the field, and payback
Same major, other colleges
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 Salem State University's school-wide net price (no college reports it by major) and this major's graduate earnings.
| Family income | Net price / yr | Cost to finish | Years to pay back |
|---|---|---|---|
| $0–30k | $10,516 | $45,429 | 1.1 years |
| $30–48k | $13,870 | $59,918 | 1.4 years |
| $48–75k | $13,821 | $59,707 | 1.4 years |
| $75–110k | $17,590 | $75,989 | 1.8 years |
| $110k+ | $23,223 | $100,323 | 2.4 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.3 years, the average time graduates took (41% 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 ($81,266) minus $39,880 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in MA (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $41,386 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 Massachusetts colleges
Every Massachusetts college we cover that reports Chemistry graduate earnings, highest first. Net price is the school-wide average after grants.
| Rank | College | Earnings, 4 yrs | Median debt | Avg. net price | Graduation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | College of the Holy Cross | $93,122 | $27,000 | $38,782 | 87% |
| 2 | Northeastern University | $88,364 | $24,500 | $30,915 | 91% |
| 3 | Salem State University | $81,266 | $27,000 | $15,996 | 50% |
| 4 | Bridgewater State University | $80,287 | $27,000 | $16,383 | 53% |
| 5 | University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth | $79,043 | $27,500 | $20,927 | 52% |
| 6 | University of Massachusetts-Amherst | $78,373 | — | $22,383 | 83% |
| 7 | University of Massachusetts-Lowell | $74,568 | $27,000 | $17,163 | 65% |
| 8 | Williams College | $51,050 | $12,000 | $17,716 | 94% |
32 more Massachusetts colleges offer Chemistry but have too few graduates to report earnings.
Careers for Chemistry graduates
Chemist
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
Median annual wage, all workers. U.S. jobs -0.2% by 2035. Typical entry: bachelor's degree.
Data Scientists
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 Salem State University, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About Salem State University
- Acceptance rate: 96% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 50% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $56,662
- Full cost breakdown · all 58 majors · overview
Related majors at Salem State University
- Biology$67,551
- Biochemistry—
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology—
- Geology / Earth Science$59,424
Salem State University Chemistry questions
How much do Salem State University Chemistry graduates earn?
Chemistry graduates of Salem State University earn a median $81,266 four years after graduating and $49,439 one year after. The U.S. median for Chemistry graduates across 209 colleges is $66,486.
How much debt do Salem State University Chemistry graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Chemistry graduates of Salem State University is $27,000, about 33% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $23,600.
Is Salem State University a good school for Chemistry in Massachusetts?
On pay, Chemistry graduates of Salem State University earn $81,266 four years out, $1,601 above the median for the same major across 8 Massachusetts colleges ($79,665) and $14,780 above the U.S. median ($66,486). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does Salem State University rank for Chemistry in Massachusetts?
Of 8 Massachusetts colleges reporting Chemistry graduate earnings, Salem State University ranks 3rd. The highest is College of the Holy Cross at $93,122.
What jobs do Chemistry graduates get?
A common career is chemist, with a median wage of $127,290 in the Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH area 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
Data: JSON · Markdown · all datasets
Cite this: “Salem State University Chemistry: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/salem-state-university/majors/chemistry (College Scorecard and BLS data).