U.S. median for this major: $66,486.
College Scorecard field of study; 45 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 30% 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 $26,547. College Scorecard.
UNCW 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 UNCW'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 | $10,778 | $45,699 | 1.4 years |
| $30–48k | $12,572 | $53,305 | 1.6 years |
| $48–75k | $17,378 | $73,683 | 2.3 years |
| $75–110k | $24,046 | $101,955 | 3.1 years |
| $110k+ | $25,573 | $108,430 | 3.3 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (56% 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 ($65,982) minus $33,516 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in NC (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $32,466 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 North Carolina colleges
Every North Carolina 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 | North Carolina State University at Raleigh | $76,978 | $20,154 | $17,303 | 85% |
| 2 | East Carolina University | $71,445 | $24,250 | $15,739 | 63% |
| 3 | University of North Carolina Wilmington | $65,982 | $19,935 | $20,109 | 71% |
| 4 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill | $64,981 | $14,250 | $11,655 | 91% |
| 5 | University of North Carolina at Pembroke | $63,288 | $25,766 | $10,260 | 44% |
| 6 | University of North Carolina at Charlotte | $60,978 | $26,000 | $15,435 | 69% |
| 7 | University of North Carolina Asheville | $60,021 | $12,825 | $12,250 | 54% |
| 8 | Appalachian State University | $58,329 | $24,949 | $16,836 | 75% |
| 9 | Western Carolina University | $51,213 | $20,824 | $13,315 | 60% |
32 more North Carolina 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 UNCW, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About UNCW
- Acceptance rate: 64% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 71% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $54,967
- Full cost breakdown · all 48 majors · overview
Related majors at UNCW
- Biology$60,750
- Ecology and Evolutionary Biology$39,812
- Physics—
- Geology / Earth Science$60,414
UNCW Chemistry questions
How much do UNCW Chemistry graduates earn?
Chemistry graduates of University of North Carolina Wilmington earn a median $65,982 four years after graduating and $44,473 one year after. The U.S. median for Chemistry graduates across 209 colleges is $66,486.
How much debt do UNCW Chemistry graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Chemistry graduates of University of North Carolina Wilmington is $19,935, about 30% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $23,600.
Is UNCW a good school for Chemistry in North Carolina?
On pay, Chemistry graduates of University of North Carolina Wilmington earn $65,982 four years out, $2,694 above the median for the same major across 9 North Carolina colleges ($63,288) and $504 below the U.S. median ($66,486). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does UNCW rank for Chemistry in North Carolina?
Of 9 North Carolina colleges reporting Chemistry graduate earnings, University of North Carolina Wilmington ranks 3rd. The highest is North Carolina State University at Raleigh at $76,978.
What jobs do Chemistry graduates get?
A common career is chemist, with a median wage of $78,130 in the Wilmington, NC 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 North Carolina Wilmington Chemistry: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/university-of-north-carolina-wilmington/majors/chemistry (College Scorecard and BLS data).