Chemistry at Transylvania University

A chemistry degree from this selective liberal arts college comes with estimated debt of nearly $25,000—right in line with what chemistry graduates typically carry—but the earnings picture relies on limited Kentucky data. Based on comparable programs in the state, first-year earnings around $42,000 would put Transylvania's chemistry grads near both the state and national medians for this field. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.60 falls comfortably within the range financial advisors consider manageable for STEM degrees.

What's worth noting is the wide variation among Kentucky chemistry programs with reported data—Murray State's graduates earn $48,000 while Eastern Kentucky's start at $35,000, a nearly $14,000 spread. Transylvania's small class sizes mean the Department of Education can't publish actual outcomes, making it impossible to know whether this program performs more like Murray State or Eastern Kentucky. The school's solid admission selectivity (85% acceptance, 1285 average SAT) and relatively low Pell enrollment (24%) suggest a well-resourced student body, but that doesn't necessarily translate to stronger career outcomes in chemistry specifically.

The financial fundamentals look reasonable on paper, but you're essentially betting on a program without its own track record. If graduate school is the plan, chemistry from any solid undergraduate institution typically works fine. For students heading straight to industry jobs, though, the lack of visibility into where Transylvania's chemistry graduates actually land—and what they actually earn—makes this a harder call than programs with verified outcomes.