Location: Raleigh, NC•In-State Tuition: $17,176•Admission Rate: 30%
Est. Earnings (1yr)
$36,235
Est. from NC median (10 programs)
Est. Median Debt
$24,994
Est. from national median (56 programs)

Analysis

Chemistry programs in North Carolina produce widely different outcomes, and Shaw's estimated first-year earnings of $36,235—derived from the state median—fall considerably short of what top programs deliver. North Carolina State and East Carolina graduates earn roughly $47,000, nearly $11,000 more than what peer programs suggest Shaw graduates might expect. With an estimated debt load of $25,000 (based on similar private institutions nationally), the debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.69 isn't alarming on its own, but it reflects a concerning pattern: you're potentially paying more for significantly less earning power.

The financial reality becomes clearer when you consider Shaw's student population. With 65% of students receiving Pell grants, many families here can't afford a slower financial start. A $10,000 earnings gap in year one compounds over time, affecting everything from loan repayment speed to graduate school options. The more competitive NC programs aren't necessarily more expensive after financial aid, yet they're producing measurably better outcomes.

Before committing, you need actual graduate outcomes from Shaw—not state estimates. Contact their chemistry department directly and ask for employment data: where recent graduates are working, starting salaries, and graduate school acceptance rates. If Shaw can't or won't provide this information for their chemistry program, that tells you something important about either their tracking systems or their results.

Where Shaw University Stands

Earnings vs. debt across all chemistry bachelors's programs nationally

Shaw University (estimated ±10%)Other chemistry programs

Dashed lines show national medians. Upper-left = best value.

Compare to Similar Programs in North Carolina

Chemistry bachelors's programs at peer institutions in North Carolina (42 total in state)

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SchoolIn-State TuitionEarnings (1yr)*Earnings (4yr)Median Debt*Debt/Earnings
Shaw UniversityRaleigh$17,176$36,235*—$24,994*—
East Carolina UniversityGreenville$7,361$47,875*$55,980$24,250*0.51
North Carolina State University at RaleighRaleigh$8,895$47,071*—$20,154*0.43
University of North Carolina WilmingtonWilmington$7,317$44,473*$53,767$19,935*0.45
Appalachian State UniversityBoone$7,541$40,488*$51,055$24,949*0.62
University of North Carolina AshevilleAsheville$7,461$36,891*$43,113$12,825*0.35
National Median—$42,581*—$24,000*0.56
* Estimated from similar programs

Career Paths

Occupations commonly associated with chemistry graduates

Natural Sciences Managers

Plan, direct, or coordinate activities in such fields as life sciences, physical sciences, mathematics, statistics, and research and development in these fields.

$161,180/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Clinical Research Coordinators

Plan, direct, or coordinate clinical research projects. Direct the activities of workers engaged in clinical research projects to ensure compliance with protocols and overall clinical objectives. May evaluate and analyze clinical data.

$161,180/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Water Resource Specialists

Design or implement programs and strategies related to water resource issues such as supply, quality, and regulatory compliance issues.

$161,180/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Computer and Information Research Scientists

Conduct research into fundamental computer and information science as theorists, designers, or inventors. Develop solutions to problems in the field of computer hardware and software.

$140,910/yrJobs growth:Master's degree

Data Scientists

Develop and implement a set of techniques or analytics applications to transform raw data into meaningful information using data-oriented programming languages and visualization software. Apply data mining, data modeling, natural language processing, and machine learning to extract and analyze information from large structured and unstructured datasets. Visualize, interpret, and report data findings. May create dynamic data reports.

$112,590/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Business Intelligence Analysts

Produce financial and market intelligence by querying data repositories and generating periodic reports. Devise methods for identifying data patterns and trends in available information sources.

$112,590/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Clinical Data Managers

Apply knowledge of health care and database management to analyze clinical data, and to identify and report trends.

$112,590/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Chemists

Conduct qualitative and quantitative chemical analyses or experiments in laboratories for quality or process control or to develop new products or knowledge.

$86,620/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree

Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary

Teach courses pertaining to the chemical and physical properties and compositional changes of substances. Work may include providing instruction in the methods of qualitative and quantitative chemical analysis. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching, and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

$83,980/yrJobs growth:

Environmental Science Teachers, Postsecondary

Teach courses in environmental science. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

$83,980/yrJobs growth:

Physics Teachers, Postsecondary

Teach courses pertaining to the laws of matter and energy. Includes both teachers primarily engaged in teaching and those who do a combination of teaching and research.

$83,980/yrJobs growth:

Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health

Conduct research or perform investigation for the purpose of identifying, abating, or eliminating sources of pollutants or hazards that affect either the environment or public health. Using knowledge of various scientific disciplines, may collect, synthesize, study, report, and recommend action based on data derived from measurements or observations of air, food, soil, water, and other sources.

$80,060/yrJobs growth:Bachelor's degree
About This Data

Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (October 2025 release)

Population: Graduates who received federal financial aid (Title IV grants or loans). At Shaw University, approximately 65% of students receive Pell grants. Students who did not receive federal aid are not included in these figures.

Earnings: Median earnings from IRS W-2 data for graduates who are employed and not enrolled in further education, measured 1 year after completion. Earnings are pre-tax and include wages, salaries, and self-employment income.

Debt: Median cumulative federal loan debt at graduation. Does not include private loans or Parent PLUS loans borrowed on behalf of students.

Estimated Earnings: Actual earnings data is not available for this program (typically due to privacy thresholds when fewer than 30 graduates reported earnings). The estimate shown is based on the median of 10 similar programs in NC. Actual outcomes may vary.