Chemistry (Bachelor's Degree) at Citadel Military College of South Carolina

Est. Earnings (1yr)

$42,581

Est. from national median (205 programs)

Est. Median Debt

$26,519

Est. from SC median (4 programs)

Analysis

Chemistry graduates from military colleges face a unique calculation: the discipline and structure of service academy life paired with uncertain financial outcomes. The Citadel's program appears positioned around national norms, with peer programs nationally suggesting first-year earnings near $43,000—though similar programs in South Carolina have historically produced closer to $39,000. That spread matters when you're carrying an estimated $26,500 in debt.

The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.62 falls in reasonable territory, meaning comparable chemistry graduates could theoretically dedicate about 60% of their first year's salary to paying off loans—manageable within standard repayment windows. What complicates the picture is that chemistry bachelor's degrees often serve as stepping stones to graduate school or professional programs rather than terminal credentials. If your child plans to continue their education, they'll be adding debt on top of this undergraduate load.

The broader challenge is uncertainty itself. With no reported outcomes specific to The Citadel's chemistry program, you're betting on whether this particular combination—a military college environment in a state where chemistry earnings lag the national median—will perform better or worse than its peers. The military college structure offers valuable soft skills and networking, but whether those advantages translate into premium earnings for chemists remains an open question for this campus.

Where Citadel Military College of South Carolina Stands

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

Compare to Similar Programs in South Carolina

Chemistry bachelors's programs at peer institutions in South Carolina (26 total in state)

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School	In-State Tuition	Earnings (1yr)*	Earnings (4yr)	Median Debt*	Debt/Earnings
Citadel Military College of South CarolinaCharleston	$12,570	$42,581*	—	$26,519*	—
College of CharlestonCharleston	$12,978	$39,208*	$32,994	$27,000*	0.69
University of South Carolina-ColumbiaColumbia	$12,688	$39,018*	$55,534	$25,046*	0.64
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 Citadel Military College of South Carolina, approximately 19% 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 national median of 205 similar programs. Actual outcomes may vary.