Chemistry at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville

SIUE's chemistry program outperforms both the national median ($42,581) and Illinois state median ($44,860), placing graduates in the 79th percentile nationally—a notable achievement for a school with a 97% admission rate. Starting salaries of $46,659 rise to nearly $58,000 by year four, a 24% jump that suggests chemistry graduates are finding roles with clear advancement paths. That said, within Illinois, this program sits at the 60th percentile, slightly above the state's median but trailing the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign by a narrow margin.

The debt picture is reasonable: $25,000 puts students just above the state median ($22,902) but below the national average. With a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.54, graduates can expect to earn nearly twice their debt in the first year—a manageable load that gets easier as earnings climb. The moderate sample size means year-to-year numbers could shift, but the overall trajectory looks stable.

For families weighing cost against outcomes, SIUE delivers solid returns without the sticker price or competitive admissions of flagship programs. Chemistry graduates here are entering the workforce with marketable skills and debt they can realistically handle, making this a practical choice for students targeting lab work, industry roles, or graduate school preparation.