U.S. median for this major: $66,486.
College Scorecard field of study; 21 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 43% 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 $58,437. College Scorecard.
VU 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 VU'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 | $11,043 | $45,828 | 1.7 years |
| $30–48k | $12,055 | $50,028 | 1.9 years |
| $48–75k | $15,279 | $63,408 | 2.4 years |
| $75–110k | $22,311 | $92,591 | 3.5 years |
| $110k+ | $24,780 | $102,837 | 3.8 years |
Cost to finish = yearly price × 4.2 years, the average time graduates took (58% 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 ($62,245) minus $35,534 for high school graduates ages 25-34 in IN (Census ACS 2020-2024), a gain of $26,711 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 Indiana colleges
Every Indiana 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 | Indiana State University | $73,623 | $23,081 | $10,873 | 43% |
| 2 | Purdue University | $67,680 | $19,500 | $14,600 | 83% |
| 3 | Ball State University | $63,764 | $25,000 | $14,940 | 62% |
| 4 | Valparaiso University | $62,245 | $27,000 | $18,578 | 70% |
| 5 | Indiana University-Indianapolis | $61,687 | $21,902 | $11,668 | 54% |
| 6 | Indiana University-Bloomington | $61,024 | $17,000 | $16,264 | 80% |
29 more Indiana 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 VU, by income
School-wide average after grants for students receiving federal aid. Tap your band.
College Scorecard
About VU
- Acceptance rate: 89% · admissions
- Graduation rate: 70% within 6 years
- Median earnings, all majors, 10 years after starting: $63,191
- Full cost breakdown · all 59 majors · overview
Related majors at VU
- Biology$61,072
- Biochemistry—
- Physics—
- Astronomy and Astrophysics—
VU Chemistry questions
How much do VU Chemistry graduates earn?
Chemistry graduates of Valparaiso University earn a median $62,245 four years after graduating and $37,526 one year after. The U.S. median for Chemistry graduates across 209 colleges is $66,486.
How much debt do VU Chemistry graduates have?
The median federal loan debt for Chemistry graduates of Valparaiso University is $27,000, about 43% of their median earnings four years out. Nationally the median is $23,600.
Is VU a good school for Chemistry in Indiana?
On pay, Chemistry graduates of Valparaiso University earn $62,245 four years out, $759 below the median for the same major across 6 Indiana colleges ($63,004) and $4,241 below the U.S. median ($66,486). Medians of each college's graduates; EducationGuide calculation from College Scorecard.
Where does VU rank for Chemistry in Indiana?
Of 6 Indiana colleges reporting Chemistry graduate earnings, Valparaiso University ranks 4th. The highest is Indiana State University at $73,623.
What jobs do Chemistry graduates get?
A common career is chemist, with a median wage of $90,920 in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN 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: “Valparaiso University Chemistry: earnings, debt and careers,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/colleges/valparaiso-university/majors/chemistry (College Scorecard and BLS data).