U.S. median for this major: $66,486.
College Scorecard field of study; 48 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 50% 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 $25,505. College Scorecard.
SHSU 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 SHSU'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 | $12,474 | $55,385 | 2.3 years |
| $30–48k | $13,389 | $59,447 | 2.5 years |
| $48–75k | $15,540 | $68,998 | 2.9 years |
| $75–110k | $21,366 | $94,865 | 4.0 years |
| $110k+ | $24,101 | $107,008 | 4.5 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.4 years, the average time graduates took (35% 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 ($57,410) minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in TX (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $23,894 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 Texas colleges
Every Texas 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 | The University of Texas at Austin | $72,025 | $18,500 | $19,857 | 89% |
| 2 | Texas Tech University | $70,673 | $27,243 | $19,070 | 69% |
| 3 | Texas A&M University-College Station | $69,662 | $19,500 | $21,315 | 84% |
| 4 | University of Houston | $68,504 | $12,000 | $14,276 | 65% |
| 5 | Baylor University | $65,293 | $27,000 | $41,104 | 80% |
| 6 | The University of Texas at Arlington | $63,766 | — | $13,951 | 54% |
| 7 | The University of Texas at Dallas | $63,472 | $20,747 | $18,267 | 76% |
| 8 | University of North Texas | $61,473 | $23,151 | $15,649 | 61% |
| 9 | Texas State University | $58,396 | $27,500 | $16,805 | 55% |
| 10 | The University of Texas at San Antonio | $57,652 | $20,835 | $10,836 | 53% |
| 11 | Sam Houston State University | $57,410 | $28,775 | $16,404 | 55% |
| 12 | The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | $57,100 | $10,500 | $4,831 | 51% |
51 more Texas 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 SHSU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About SHSU
- Acceptance rate: 90% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 55% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $54,211
- Full cost breakdown · all 66 majors · overview
Related majors at SHSU
- Biology$53,165
- Physics—
- Geology / Earth Science$55,954
SHSU Chemistry questions
How much do SHSU Chemistry graduates earn?
Chemistry graduates of Sam Houston State University earn a median $57,410 four years after graduating and $43,940 one year after. The U.S. median for Chemistry graduates across 209 colleges is $66,486.
How much debt do SHSU Chemistry graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Chemistry graduates of Sam Houston State University is $28,775, about 50% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $23,600.
Is SHSU a good school for Chemistry in Texas?
On pay, Chemistry graduates of Sam Houston State University earn $57,410 four years out, $6,209 below the median for the same major across 12 Texas colleges ($63,619) and $9,076 below the U.S. median ($66,486). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does SHSU rank for Chemistry in Texas?
Of 12 Texas colleges reporting Chemistry graduate earnings, Sam Houston State University ranks 11th. The highest is The University of Texas at Austin at $72,025.
What jobs do Chemistry graduates get?
A common career is chemist, with a median wage of $99,640 in Texas 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: “Sam Houston State University Chemistry: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/sam-houston-state-university/majors/chemistry (College Scorecard and BLS data).