Location: Pasadena, CA•In-State Tuition: $63,255•Admission Rate: 3%
Est. Earnings (1yr)
$43,766
Est. from CA median (23 programs)
Est. Median Debt
$24,994
Est. from national median (56 programs)

Analysis

A Bachelor's in Chemistry from Caltech—arguably the nation's premier STEM institution with just a 3% acceptance rate—appears to produce surprisingly modest early earnings based on comparable California programs, which suggest around $44,000 in first-year income. That figure sits right at the state median but trails several UC and CSU campuses by $5,000 to $15,000. The estimated $25,000 in debt yields a manageable 0.57 debt-to-earnings ratio, though it's worth noting that many California chemistry programs report lower debt burdens (the state median is $16,000).

The real puzzle here is whether Caltech graduates simply follow different career paths than their peers. Many may pursue graduate school immediately, which would depress first-year earnings but position them for research careers with significantly higher long-term potential. The institution's elite reputation and tiny student body also make it likely that actual outcomes vary considerably from the state-wide estimates used here—these graduates could be earning substantially more or substantially less depending on their specific trajectories.

For a parent weighing this option, recognize that you're making decisions with limited visibility into actual outcomes. If your student was admitted to Caltech, they likely have other strong options with clearer financial pictures. The debt level won't be crushing regardless, but don't assume the Caltech name automatically translates to premium starting salaries in this field.

Where California Institute of Technology Stands

Earnings vs. debt across all chemistry bachelors's programs nationally

California Institute of Technology (estimated ±10%)Other chemistry programs

Dashed lines show national medians. Upper-left = best value.

Compare to Similar Programs in California

Chemistry bachelors's programs at peer institutions in California (65 total in state)

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SchoolIn-State TuitionEarnings (1yr)*Earnings (4yr)Median Debt*Debt/Earnings
California Institute of TechnologyPasadena$63,255$43,766*—$24,994*—
University of California-BerkeleyBerkeley$14,850$59,576*$64,496$11,172*0.19
University of California-MercedMerced$14,167$50,944*$56,584$15,000*0.29
California State University-Long BeachLong Beach$7,008$50,553*$66,742$15,680*0.31
California State University-San MarcosSan Marcos$7,739$49,382*——*—
University of California-Santa BarbaraSanta Barbara$14,965$47,197*$64,903$15,805*0.33
National Median—$42,581*—$24,000*0.56
* Estimated from similar programs

Career Paths

Occupations commonly associated with chemistry graduates

Natural Sciences Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate activities in such fields as life sciences, physical sciences, mathematics, statistics, and research and development in these fields.

$161,180/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Clinical Research Coordinators

Plan, direct, or coordinate clinical research projects. Direct the activities of workers engaged in clinical research projects to ensure compliance with protocols and overall clinical objectives. May evaluate and analyze clinical data.

$161,180/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Water Resource Specialists

Design or implement programs and strategies related to water resource issues such as supply, quality, and regulatory compliance issues.

$161,180/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Computer and Information Research Scientists

Conduct research into fundamental computer and information science as theorists, designers, or inventors. Develop solutions to problems in the field of computer hardware and software.

$140,910/yrJobs growth:Master's degree

Data Scientists

Develop and implement a set of techniques or analytics applications to transform raw data into meaningful information using data-oriented programming languages and visualization software. Apply data mining, data modeling, natural language processing, and machine learning to extract and analyze information from large structured and unstructured datasets. Visualize, interpret, and report data findings. May create dynamic data reports.

$112,590/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Business Intelligence Analysts

Produce financial and market intelligence by querying data repositories and generating periodic reports. Devise methods for identifying data patterns and trends in available information sources.

$112,590/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Clinical Data Managers

Apply knowledge of health care and database management to analyze clinical data, and to identify and report trends.

$112,590/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Chemists

Conduct qualitative and quantitative chemical analyses or experiments in laboratories for quality or process control or to develop new products or knowledge.

$86,620/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary

Teach courses pertaining to the chemical and physical properties and compositional changes of substances. Work may include providing instruction in the methods of qualitative and quantitative chemical analysis. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching, and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

$83,980/yrJobs growth:

Environmental Science Teachers, Postsecondary

Teach courses in environmental science. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

$83,980/yrJobs growth:

Physics Teachers, Postsecondary

Teach courses pertaining to the laws of matter and energy. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

$83,980/yrJobs growth:

Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health

Conduct research or perform investigation for the purpose of identifying, abating, or eliminating sources of pollutants or hazards that affect either the environment or public health. Using knowledge of various scientific disciplines, may collect, synthesize, study, report, and recommend action based on data derived from measurements or observations of air, food, soil, water, and other sources.

$80,060/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree
About This Data

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (October 2025 release)

Population: Graduates who received federal financial aid (Title IV grants or loans). At California Institute of Technology, approximately 15% of students receive Pell grants. Students who did not receive federal aid are not included in these figures.

Earnings: Median earnings from IRS W-2 data for graduates who are employed and not enrolled in further education, measured 1 year after completion. Earnings are pre-tax and include wages, salaries, and self-employment income.

Debt: Median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation. Does not include private loans or Parent PLUS loans borrowed on behalf of students.

Estimated Earnings: Actual earnings data is not available for this program (typically due to privacy thresholds when fewer than 30 graduates reported earnings). The estimate shown is based on the median of 23 similar programs in CA. Actual outcomes may vary.