Chemistry at Doane University

A chemistry bachelor's degree from a small Nebraska liberal arts college comes with estimated first-year earnings around $42,600 and student debt near $25,000—figures drawn from national peer programs since Doane's graduate cohort is too small for the Department of Education to publish actual outcomes. That debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.59 suggests manageable repayment: monthly payments would consume roughly 6% of gross income under standard plans, well within the comfort zone for STEM graduates.

What gives this estimate credibility is how closely it aligns with national benchmarks. Chemistry programs nationwide typically produce median first-year earnings of $42,600, and the estimated debt sits just slightly above the national median of $24,000. Nebraska chemistry programs generally carry slightly higher debt loads (around $26,700), so Doane's estimated figure falls within the expected range for the state. The 90% admission rate suggests accessibility rather than exclusivity, though 28% Pell enrollment indicates the school serves some students from lower-income backgrounds.

The real question parents face is whether these estimated numbers—based on what similar chemistry programs across the country produce—will hold true for Doane specifically. Small program size makes individual outcomes more variable: one graduate landing a pharmaceutical industry job versus another pursuing graduate school can dramatically shift the picture. If your child is serious about chemistry and values small-school attention, the projected debt burden appears reasonable, but recognize you're making this decision with borrowed data rather than Doane's actual track record.