Chemistry at Christopher Newport University

Christopher Newport's chemistry program sits in an interesting position: it underperforms the national average by about $3,300 but outperforms most Virginia programs, landing above the state median. With just $27,000 in debt—lower than 95% of chemistry programs nationwide—students avoid the debt burden that plagues many science degrees. The 32% earnings growth from year one to year four suggests graduates find their footing after an initially modest start of $39,245.

The real question is whether this represents a smart regional play or settling for less. CNU chemistry grads earn roughly $10,000 less after four years than peers at George Mason or Virginia Tech, yet they're not carrying significantly less debt to justify that gap. For a student planning to stay in Virginia—particularly the Hampton Roads area where CNU has strong local connections—this could work fine. The low debt means manageable payments even on that first-year salary, and by year four, the earnings-to-debt ratio looks quite healthy.

However, the small sample size (under 30 graduates) means these numbers could swing significantly year to year. If your child has stronger academic credentials or aspires to competitive graduate programs or research positions, the gap between CNU and Virginia's top-tier chemistry programs is worth considering. For a student who wants a solid liberal arts college experience with a chemistry degree and plans to work locally, the combination of manageable debt and decent regional standing makes this viable.