Chemistry at Howard University

Howard University's chemistry bachelor's program shows estimated first-year earnings of $42,581—right at the national median for chemistry degrees—paired with an estimated $24,994 in debt. That debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.59 suggests graduates could reasonably manage their loan burden, with debt sitting just below one year's salary. For context, chemistry programs in DC typically produce slightly higher debt loads (around $27,000), so these estimates track conservatively.

The challenge here is that both figures are derived from peer institutions nationally rather than Howard's actual graduate outcomes, which weren't reportable due to small sample sizes. Chemistry is a foundation degree that often leads to graduate school or specialized training, so first-year earnings don't tell the whole story. The program's value really depends on whether your child plans to work immediately after graduation or continue their education—and whether Howard's reputation and network in the sciences (particularly for underrepresented students in STEM) open doors that justify the investment.

Given the uncertainty in these estimates, focus on placement rates for Howard chemistry graduates specifically: where do they land jobs or gain admission to graduate programs? Those outcomes matter more than estimated earnings when the data is too limited to draw firm conclusions about this particular program's financial return.