Chemistry at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

Milwaukee's chemistry program starts graduates at $36,771—nearly $12,000 below what similar UW System schools report for their chemistry majors. While the debt picture looks manageable based on comparable Wisconsin programs (an estimated $25,625), that 0.70 debt-to-earnings ratio only tells half the story when first-year earnings lag this far behind peer institutions.

The 52% earnings jump by year four suggests graduates eventually find their footing, reaching $55,756. But that four-year climb matters when UW-Eau Claire and UW-Platteville chemistry graduates start near $50,000. Your student would be playing catch-up for years, and in STEM fields where that first job often determines career trajectory, starting $12,000-15,000 behind creates real disadvantages for graduate school applications, lab positions, or industry roles that prefer candidates with stronger early credentials.

Chemistry is portable—the degree works anywhere—but Milwaukee's outcomes raise questions about lab infrastructure, industry connections, or the caliber of students the program attracts (88% admission rate, 1090 average SAT). Before committing, compare the actual career outcomes and graduate school placement rates here against other UW campuses. If those numbers can't justify the earnings gap, a chemistry degree from Eau Claire or Whitewater offers better launching position for roughly the same investment.