ROI Major

Chemistry at Midwestern State University

TX · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 40.05

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Chemistry degree from Midwestern State University earn a median salary of $67,394 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in TX, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $73,175. The degree typically pays for itself in 6.8 years.

Quick Insights

Solid Investment

How this degree looks at a glance

A fast read on salary range, break-even speed, living-cost impact, and where bachelor's graduates from this school usually land.

Salary Ranges

Starting Range

$53,343

Typical Career

$67,394

Top Performers

$85,313

Estimated break-even: 6.8 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$449

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $5,616. Most students can comfortably afford about a $449 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.7x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.9x more than the average college graduate.

Purchasing Power Context

A dollar in Texas buys what costs $0.92 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

Top industries for bachelor's graduates from this school: Health Care & Social Assistance, Educational Services, Public Administration.

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Health Care & Social Assistance 32.3%
Educational Services 21.7%
Public Administration 6.7%

Institution-wide industry mix for bachelor's graduates, 5 years after graduation. This is not major-specific. Source: Census PSEO Flows.

5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent

$73,175

Nominal: $67,394 in Texas (COL 92.1% of national avg) · 8.6% higher purchasing power

10-Year Earnings Curve

Break-Even Timeline

How long until cumulative earnings advantage exceeds total college investment (tuition + opportunity cost vs. entering workforce directly after high school).

6.8 years to break even
Graduation 15 years

Total Investment

$155,168

4yr tuition + 4yr opportunity cost

HS Graduate Baseline

$38,792/yr

BLS 2023 median, HS diploma

View Raw Data: Median Earnings by Year
Timeframe 25th Pct. Median (50th) 75th Pct.
1 Year After Graduation $31,694 $45,014 $60,292
5 Years After Graduation $53,343 $67,394 $85,313
10 Years After Graduation $72,585 $96,791 $132,885

Source: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO), 2025 release. Earnings shown for Bachelor's degree graduates (all cohorts combined).

How We Calculate Purchasing Power

The median salary of $67,394 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in TX, which has a cost-of-living index of 92.1% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $67,394 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9210) = $73,175 National Average equivalent.

COL index source: BLS Regional Consumer Price Index & MIT Living Wage Project, 2023. Full methodology →

Career Verdict

Graduates with a Chemistry degree from Midwestern State University can expect a promising earnings trajectory. The median earnings one year after graduation stand at $45,014, which increases significantly to $67,394 five years post-graduation and reaches $96,791 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the median earnings five years after graduation equate to approximately $73,174.81 on a national scale, indicating that graduates maintain competitive salaries relative to their peers across the country, despite Texas having a lower cost of living index.

In terms of career pathways, the top industries for Chemistry graduates include Health Care & Social Assistance (32.3%), Educational Services (21.7%), and Public Administration (6.7%). The estimated break-even point for graduates compared to those with only a high school diploma is approximately 6.8 years, suggesting a favorable return on investment for pursuing a degree in Chemistry. Overall, the data indicates that a Chemistry degree from Midwestern State University offers solid financial benefits and diverse employment opportunities in key sectors.

AI-assisted editorial analysis based on Census PSEO data. Fact-checked against source data.

Compare with Another School

See how the Chemistry degree at Midwestern State University stacks up against another institution side-by-side.

Data sources: US Census Bureau Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO). Cost-of-living index: BLS Regional CPI & MIT Living Wage Project. Cost of attendance: IPEDS. For informational use only; data may be suppressed for small cohort sizes.

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