Chemistry at Louisiana Tech University

Louisiana Tech's chemistry program produces graduates earning essentially at the national median ($42,572 versus $42,581), but there's a nuance worth understanding: within Louisiana, this places them slightly below the state average of $42,644—ranking in the 40th percentile statewide. The difference is modest (about $70 annually), but when multiple Louisiana schools cluster so tightly around $42,700, it suggests Tech graduates may face marginally tougher competition for the higher-paying chemistry roles in-state.

The financial picture, however, is unusually strong. At $27,000 in median debt, Tech sits at just the 5th percentile nationally for chemistry program debt—meaning 95% of comparable programs saddle students with more borrowing. This creates a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.63, well within manageable territory for a science degree. For Louisiana families, this low debt load matters considerably, especially given that chemistry degrees often serve as stepping stones to graduate programs where additional borrowing is inevitable.

The major caveat: this data comes from fewer than 30 graduates, so individual outcomes vary more than these medians suggest. Still, if your student is considering chemistry in Louisiana and wants to minimize undergraduate debt while getting solid preparation, Tech delivers on the affordability front even if earning outcomes trail slightly behind peers like UL Lafayette by a hair.