Location: Dayton, OH•In-State Tuition: $47,600•Admission Rate: 62%•Avg SAT: 1313
Est. Earnings (1yr)
$43,349
Est. from OH median (13 programs)
Est. Median Debt
$27,000
Est. from OH median (4 programs)

Analysis

Drawing from comparable chemistry programs across Ohio, University of Dayton's estimated outcomes suggest a manageable financial picture: roughly $27,000 in debt against first-year earnings around $43,000. That 0.62 debt-to-earnings ratio means graduates would need about seven months of gross income to cover their borrowing—a reasonable starting point for a science degree. The estimated earnings align closely with the national median for chemistry bachelor's programs, indicating this isn't a field where regional differences dramatically reshape outcomes.

What's worth noting is the gap between this estimate and what students at Ohio's top-performing chemistry programs actually report earning. Cincinnati and Cleveland State graduates start $4,000-5,000 higher, which compounds significantly over a career. Whether University of Dayton matches those stronger outcomes or falls closer to the state average remains uncertain given the lack of school-specific data. The university's selective profile (SAT scores around 1300, limited Pell enrollment) suggests it may attract students with stronger career networks, but that's speculation without actual graduate data.

The practical takeaway: chemistry degrees generally produce employable graduates with manageable debt, and the estimated figures here support that pattern. But if your child has options at Cincinnati or Cleveland State—schools with proven track records in this field—those offer more certainty about return on investment.

Where University of Dayton Stands

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

University of Dayton (estimated ±10%)Other chemistry programs

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

Compare to Similar Programs in Ohio

Chemistry bachelors's programs at peer institutions in Ohio (53 total in state)

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SchoolIn-State TuitionEarnings (1yr)*Earnings (4yr)Median Debt*Debt/Earnings
University of DaytonDayton$47,600$43,349*—$27,000*—
Cleveland State UniversityCleveland$12,613$48,147*$55,195$24,744*0.51
University of Cincinnati-Main CampusCincinnati$13,570$47,387*$62,319$23,750*0.50
University of Akron Main CampusAkron$12,799$44,970*—$27,500*0.61
Bowling Green State University-Main CampusBowling Green$14,081$43,840*$55,512$26,000*0.59
Ohio University-Eastern CampusSaint Clairsville$6,178$43,349*$55,606$25,751*0.59
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 University of Dayton, approximately 16% 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 13 similar programs in OH. Actual outcomes may vary.