Chemistry at Franciscan University of Steubenville

Chemistry graduates from similar Ohio programs typically earn around $43,000 in their first year—solidly in line with national benchmarks for the field. At an estimated $27,000 in debt, Franciscan students would face a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.62, which falls within manageable territory by conventional standards. The challenge is that these figures come from peer institutions across Ohio, not Franciscan's own track record, so there's genuine uncertainty about how this particular program performs.

The broader context matters here. Ohio State programs producing reported data show considerable variation, with graduates at Cleveland State and Cincinnati earning $47,000-$48,000 while others cluster closer to the state median. Chemistry credentials generally lead to stable career paths in laboratories, quality control, or further graduate study, but first-year earnings can vary significantly depending on whether graduates pursue industrial positions, teaching roles, or continue their education. The estimated debt load of $27,000 slightly exceeds both state and national medians for chemistry programs, though not dramatically.

For families considering Franciscan specifically, the absence of program-level data means you're betting on the school's general reputation and smaller-campus experience without concrete evidence of employment outcomes. If your student is drawn to Franciscan's particular environment and plans to pursue chemistry seriously—whether toward industry work or graduate school—the estimated numbers don't raise red flags. But you'll want direct conversations with current students and recent alumni to understand what actually happens after graduation, since the published data can't tell you that story.