Chemistry at University of Puget Sound

A bachelor's in chemistry from this selective liberal arts college comes with an estimated $25,000 in debt—slightly above the national median but manageable for the sciences. Based on comparable chemistry programs in Washington, first-year earnings around $46,000 place this squarely at the state median, suggesting graduates enter the workforce at typical rates for the region. With a debt-to-earnings ratio of 0.54, students would owe roughly half their first-year salary, which falls within reasonable bounds for a science degree.

What's worth noting is that chemistry programs in Washington show considerable variation in early earnings, from $33,000 to $48,000 among schools with reported data. The state median reflects middle-of-the-pack outcomes rather than exceptional ones, though it does exceed the national benchmark by about $4,000. For parents weighing Puget Sound's liberal arts approach against larger research universities in the state, the estimated earnings suggest comparable workforce readiness, at least in the immediate term.

The challenge here is that these figures are derived from peer programs rather than actual outcomes for Puget Sound chemistry graduates specifically. If your child is considering graduate school—common for chemistry majors—the undergraduate debt load remains manageable enough not to foreclose that option. For direct workforce entry, the estimated numbers suggest adequate but not exceptional returns on a private school investment.