Chemistry at Fort Lewis College

Fort Lewis College's chemistry program produces earnings that trail most competitors—nationally and within Colorado—though the modest debt load softens the blow somewhat. At $34,159 in the first year, graduates earn about $4,000 less than the typical Colorado chemistry major and $8,400 below the national median. Among the state's 16 chemistry programs, Fort Lewis lands exactly in the middle for earnings but charges roughly $7,000 less in debt than the Colorado median, giving it a more favorable debt-to-earnings ratio than these rankings might suggest.

The real concern is that these already-modest earnings barely budge over four years, growing just 8% to reach $37,000. Compare that to larger programs like CSU-Fort Collins, where chemistry grads start $8,000 higher. The small sample size here—fewer than 30 graduates tracked—means these numbers could shift significantly with more data, but the pattern suggests chemistry majors at Fort Lewis struggle to access the higher-paying lab, research, or industry positions that typically justify a science degree.

The math isn't terrible if your student plans to pursue graduate school or teaching careers where the lower debt matters more than starting salary. But families expecting chemistry to lead directly to well-paid technical work should recognize this program delivers below-market outcomes, even accounting for Durango's lower cost of living.