Chemistry at Haverford College

Chemistry degrees at highly selective institutions like Haverford typically command strong starting salaries, but the estimated figures here—drawn from Pennsylvania's median of $43,571—land squarely in the middle of the state's range. While this matches the national median for chemistry graduates, it's notably below what similar programs at Drexel ($49,215) and Millersville ($50,524) report their graduates actually earning. The estimated $26,677 in debt is fairly typical for chemistry programs, producing a manageable debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.61.

What complicates the picture is Haverford's 13% admission rate and 1498 average SAT score—these are elite credentials that often translate to networking advantages and graduate school pathways not captured in first-year earnings data. Chemistry graduates from schools with this selectivity frequently pursue advanced degrees or research positions that start modestly but appreciate significantly over time. The small sample size that necessitated these estimates might itself signal something: either fewer students major in chemistry here, or many pursue paths where earnings aren't immediately tracked.

For families considering this investment, the estimated figures suggest reasonable value but nothing exceptional in immediate payoff. If your child plans to stop at a bachelor's degree and work in industry, state schools with stronger reported outcomes might deliver better bang for the buck. If graduate school or research is the goal, Haverford's prestige and research opportunities could justify the similar debt load—but that's a bet on longer-term value the current data can't confirm.