Chemistry at University of Nevada-Reno

At $16,552 in debt, UNR's chemistry program loads graduates with significantly less debt than the national median of $24,000—ranking in the 14th percentile nationally for debt burden. That's a meaningful advantage, particularly since Nevada only has two schools offering chemistry degrees, and UNR matches the state median on both earnings and debt metrics.

The challenge is on the earnings side. First-year graduates earn $39,614, trailing the national chemistry median by about $3,000. That puts this program in the 37th percentile nationally, though it reaches the 60th percentile within Nevada—suggesting this may reflect regional salary norms as much as program quality. The debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.42 is manageable, meaning graduates owe less than half their first-year salary.

For Nevada families, this program offers a straightforward value proposition: you're getting chemistry training at a research university with below-average debt and middle-of-the-pack Nevada earnings. Chemistry degrees typically open doors to graduate school or industry positions where earnings grow substantially beyond that first year. If your student is committed to STEM and plans to stay in Nevada or pursue further education, the low debt burden makes this a relatively low-risk investment compared to most chemistry programs nationwide.