Chemistry at Arizona State University Campus Immersion

ASU's Chemistry program starts graduates at $38,766—below both the national median ($42,581) and roughly $4,000 behind University of Arizona grads. In a state with only five chemistry programs, this ranks 40th percentile, and it's the lowest-earning option among Arizona's major public universities. The debt load of $21,885 is at least manageable, sitting below national averages, though that 0.56 debt-to-earnings ratio means your child would be carrying more than half a year's salary in loans right out of the gate.

The compelling part of this story is what happens next: earnings jump 28% to nearly $50,000 by year four, which is solid growth for a chemistry bachelor's. This suggests graduates either need time to find their footing in lab positions or are leveraging the degree into better opportunities as they gain experience. However, even with that growth, they're still trailing peers from U of A by several thousand dollars annually.

For families choosing between Arizona's public universities, this comes down to cost and location rather than outcomes. If your child is getting in-state tuition and wants to be in the Phoenix metro area, ASU can work—the debt is reasonable and earnings do improve. But if maximizing chemistry career earnings is the priority, U of A's track record suggests it's worth considering Tucson instead.