Chemistry at Ball State University

Ball State's Chemistry program sits squarely in the middle of the pack—essentially matching national and state medians with first-year earnings around $42,700. At 60th percentile among Indiana chemistry programs, it outperforms smaller schools like Valparaiso but trails Purdue's graduates by roughly $4,500 annually. The debt load of $25,000 is reasonable at 0.59 times first-year earnings, meaning graduates could theoretically pay it off in about seven months of gross pay.

The flat earnings trajectory is the main concern here. While chemistry graduates nationwide typically see modest income growth as they gain lab experience or move into management roles, this cohort shows essentially no change between years one and four. Whether that reflects the types of employers Ball State chemistry grads attract (smaller Indiana manufacturers versus Big Pharma) or the small sample size distorting the picture is unclear.

For an Indiana family, this program offers middle-of-the-road outcomes at a manageable debt level. Your child won't be chasing Purdue's earning power, but they also won't graduate with the kind of debt burden that makes career flexibility impossible. Just recognize that the salary at graduation may be close to what they're still earning four years later, so career planning and potential graduate school should factor into the decision.