Chemistry at Cornell University

Cornell's Chemistry program shows unexpectedly low first-year earnings of $28,372—well below both the national median ($42,581) and New York's median ($34,677) for chemistry degrees. More striking: public universities like SUNY Oswego ($52,645) and University at Albany ($48,276) are producing graduates who earn nearly double what Cornell chemistry grads report in their first year. Even among New York chemistry programs, this ranks only in the 25th percentile, meaning 75% of programs in the state show higher starting salaries.

The small sample size (under 30 graduates) is critical context here. These numbers likely reflect a subset of graduates pursuing graduate school, research fellowships, or other paths that temporarily suppress earnings. At an elite institution where 82% of students come from higher-income backgrounds (only 18% receive Pell grants), many chemistry graduates can afford to pursue prestigious but low-paying positions like PhD programs or research internships. The relatively modest debt of $15,121 makes this financially viable in ways it wouldn't be at programs with heavier debt loads.

For parents evaluating this as a pure ROI decision: these numbers don't tell the full story. Chemistry programs at research universities like Cornell often function as pre-graduate school pathways where first-year earnings aren't the relevant metric. If your child plans to work immediately after graduation, the data suggests looking elsewhere. But if graduate school is the plan, Cornell's research opportunities and academic reputation matter more than these early salary figures.