University of Memphis Chemistry: earnings, debt & careers

Chemistry graduates of University of Memphis earn a median $46,490 four years after graduating ($36,881 after one year), with median federal loan debt of $20,000. That is $19,996 below the U.S. median for Chemistry graduates ($66,486 across 209 colleges), and ranks 4th of 4 Tennessee colleges.

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Earnings, 4 years after graduating
$46,490

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
$36,881

Median for graduates who received federal aid.

College Scorecard field of study

Median debt at graduation
$20,000

About 43% of median earnings 4 years out. U.S. median $23,600.

College Scorecard field of study (federal loans)

What your family pays
$12,397 /yr

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

Sticker price $25,169. College Scorecard.

University of Memphis Chemistry: pay against the field, and payback

Same major, other colleges

University of Memphis graduates$46,490
Tennessee median (4 colleges)$64,361 (−$17,871)
U.S. median (209 colleges)$66,486 (−$19,996)

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 University of Memphis'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$10,607$47,3074.0 years
$30–48k$10,968$48,9174.1 years
$48–75k$13,923$62,0975.2 years
$75–110k$17,384$77,5336.5 years
$110k+$18,691$83,3627.0 years

Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.5 years, the average time graduates took (31% 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 ($46,490) minus $34,518 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in TN (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $11,972 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 Tennessee colleges

Every Tennessee 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
1The University of Tennessee-Knoxville$79,736$19,500$18,97674%
2The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga$71,634$24,999$14,26550%
3Tennessee Technological University$57,088$20,104$14,24658%
4University of Memphis$46,490$20,000$12,39751%

30 more Tennessee colleges offer Chemistry but have too few graduates to report earnings.

Careers for Chemistry graduates

Chemist

Memphis area$76,980
Tennessee$87,930
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

Memphis area$62,230
Tennessee$61,860
U.S.$72,040

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

Data Scientists

Memphis area$102,220
Tennessee$100,330
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 University of Memphis, by income

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

College Scorecard

About University of Memphis

Related majors at University of Memphis

  • Biology$53,784
  • Physics—
  • Geology / Earth Science—

University of Memphis Chemistry questions

How much do University of Memphis Chemistry graduates earn?

Chemistry graduates of University of Memphis earn a median $46,490 four years after graduating and $36,881 one year after. The U.S. median for Chemistry graduates across 209 colleges is $66,486.

How much debt do University of Memphis Chemistry graduates have?

The median federal loan debt for Chemistry graduates of University of Memphis is $20,000, about 43% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $23,600.

Is University of Memphis a good school for Chemistry in Tennessee?

On pay, Chemistry graduates of University of Memphis earn $46,490 four years out, $17,871 below the median for the same major across 4 Tennessee colleges ($64,361) and $19,996 below the U.S. median ($66,486). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.

Where does University of Memphis rank for Chemistry in Tennessee?

Of 4 Tennessee colleges reporting Chemistry graduate earnings, University of Memphis ranks 4th. The highest is The University of Tennessee-Knoxville at $79,736.

What jobs do Chemistry graduates get?

A common career is chemist, with a median wage of $76,980 in the Memphis, TN-MS-AR 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
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Cite this: “University of Memphis Chemistry: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-memphis/majors/chemistry (College Scorecard and BLS data).