U.S. median for this major: $66,486.
College Scorecard field of study; 93 graduates with earnings reported
Median for graduates who received federal aid.
College Scorecard field of study
About 31% 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 $33,642. College Scorecard.
UIUC 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 UIUC'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 | $2,038 | $8,458 | under 1 year |
| $30–48k | $5,373 | $22,298 | under 1 year |
| $48–75k | $7,982 | $33,125 | 1.0 years |
| $75–110k | $15,152 | $62,881 | 1.8 years |
| $110k+ | $28,761 | $119,358 | 3.5 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (73% 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 ($70,197) minus $35,797 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IL (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $34,400 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 Illinois colleges
Every Illinois 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 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville | $70,541 | $25,000 | $14,889 | 57% |
| 2 | University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign | $70,197 | $21,500 | $14,355 | 85% |
| 3 | Western Illinois University | $68,249 | $27,000 | $12,937 | 45% |
| 4 | Lewis University | $67,006 | $22,781 | $17,028 | 67% |
| 5 | Northern Illinois University | $65,611 | $23,023 | $13,391 | 49% |
| 6 | University of Illinois Chicago | $64,442 | $20,474 | $10,974 | 62% |
| 7 | Illinois State University | $62,220 | $24,875 | $19,398 | 65% |
39 more Illinois 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 UIUC, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About UIUC
- Acceptance rate: 42% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 85% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $81,054
- Full cost breakdown · all 102 majors · overview
Related majors at UIUC
- Biology—
- Biochemistry—
- Physics$81,077
- Geology / Earth Science$68,201
- Astronomy and Astrophysics—
UIUC Chemistry questions
How much do UIUC Chemistry graduates earn?
Chemistry graduates of University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign earn a median $70,197 four years after graduating and $47,034 one year after. The U.S. median for Chemistry graduates across 209 colleges is $66,486.
How much debt do UIUC Chemistry graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Chemistry graduates of University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is $21,500, about 31% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $23,600.
Is UIUC a good school for Chemistry in Illinois?
On pay, Chemistry graduates of University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign earn $70,197 four years out, $3,191 above the median for the same major across 7 Illinois colleges ($67,006) and $3,711 above the U.S. median ($66,486). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does UIUC rank for Chemistry in Illinois?
Of 7 Illinois colleges reporting Chemistry graduate earnings, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign ranks 2nd. The highest is Southern Illinois University Edwardsville at $70,541.
What jobs do Chemistry graduates get?
A common career is chemist, with a median wage of $67,310 in the Champaign-Urbana, IL 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: “University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign Chemistry: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-illinois-urbana-champaign/majors/chemistry (College Scorecard and BLS data).