Chemistry at University of Mississippi

The immediate challenge with Ole Miss's chemistry program is that first-year earnings of $35,132 fall nearly $7,500 below the national median, landing graduates in the 20th percentile nationally. However, context matters: this is actually the median performance for chemistry programs in Mississippi, placing Ole Miss squarely in the middle of the state's offerings at the 60th percentile. The $26,219 in typical debt is slightly above the national norm but results in a manageable 0.75 debt-to-earnings ratio—graduates would dedicate about three-quarters of their first year's salary to eliminating loans.

The real question is whether a chemistry degree from any Mississippi institution positions students competitively for chemistry careers, which often require graduate education or relocation to higher-paying markets. With under 30 graduates in this dataset, these numbers could shift significantly year to year, making this snapshot particularly unreliable for planning purposes. If your child plans to pursue graduate school or pharmaceutical/chemical industry positions outside Mississippi, the starting salary becomes less critical. If they're hoping to launch a career immediately after graduation in-state, recognize they'll be earning about 17% below what chemistry graduates typically make nationally—a gap that compounds over time if not addressed through additional credentials or geographic mobility.