Chemistry at Knox College

With estimated first-year earnings of $44,860 and debt around $25,000, this chemistry degree appears positioned right at Illinois's median for the field. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.56 suggests graduates from comparable programs could manage their loans comfortably—roughly half a year's salary in total debt is workable for a science degree. However, it's worth noting that similar programs in Illinois show considerable variation, from $32,000 to over $47,000 in starting earnings, which means the actual trajectory for Knox graduates could differ meaningfully from these state-level estimates.

The debt figure, derived from national averages for similar private colleges, sits slightly above what Illinois chemistry programs typically produce ($22,902). That extra $2,000 may reflect Knox's private college cost structure, though the earnings estimate suggests graduates should be competitive with peers statewide. The fact that Knox's chemistry program is small enough that the Department of Education can't publish specific outcomes means you're relying more on faith in the liberal arts science model than hard evidence about job placement or grad school success rates.

If your child is considering graduate school in chemistry—common for bachelor's degree holders in this field—these debt levels leave reasonable room for additional borrowing. But given the estimation uncertainty, talk directly with Knox about where recent graduates actually land and whether their outcomes align with these state-level projections.