Chemistry at Brigham Young University-Idaho

Chemistry programs in Idaho typically produce first-year earnings around $38,600, but this program's estimated outcomes—based on national medians for bachelor's-level chemistry—suggest slightly better initial returns at roughly $42,600. Combined with estimated debt of about $25,000, the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.59 is manageable, meaning graduates could theoretically dedicate about seven months of pre-tax income to clearing their loans. That's workable for a science degree, though not exceptional.

The challenge is uncertainty. With a 97% admission rate and below-average test scores, BYU-Idaho serves a different student population than many chemistry programs, and we simply don't know how their specific graduates fare. The University of Idaho—the only program in the state with reported data—shows first-year earnings of $38,600, which aligns with state medians but falls below the national estimate used here. If BYU-Idaho's outcomes track closer to state norms than national ones, you're looking at lower earnings against similar debt.

For families committed to staying in Idaho or attending this particular institution, the estimated numbers suggest chemistry won't produce crushing debt. But without actual graduate outcomes, you're betting that this program performs at or above national averages despite serving students who typically score 200+ points below the national SAT mean. That's possible—especially given BYU-Idaho's mission-driven culture and low costs—but it's a leap of faith rather than a data-driven decision.