Chemistry at Indiana Wesleyan University-Marion

Chemistry graduates from programs like Indiana Wesleyan's typically face a debt burden around $25,000—slightly above the state median but in line with national norms—while earning roughly $42,600 in their first year. That 0.59 debt-to-earnings ratio suggests manageable repayment, with debt representing just over half a year's salary. Based on similar programs across Indiana, these earnings match exactly what graduates from IU-Bloomington and Ball State report, though they trail Purdue's stronger industry connections by about $5,000.

The estimated debt here deserves attention. While it's comparable to what chemistry majors nationally carry, it's about $2,000 higher than what most Indiana chemistry students report. For a school with an 82% admission rate and lower average test scores than flagship universities, that's notable—you're potentially paying similar or slightly higher debt for outcomes that, based on peer programs, appear equivalent to state universities but below Purdue's level.

The practical question: Can your student comfortably repay $25,000 on $42,600? Yes, with standard 10-year repayment running about $280 monthly. But since these are estimates based on comparable programs rather than IWU-Marion's actual graduate outcomes, confirm with the school what percentage of recent chemistry graduates land jobs in their field and where they're placed. The difference between working in pharmaceutical research versus retail management will matter far more than these median figures suggest.