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Chemistry at University of North Texas

TX · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 40.05

Apply Now Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Chemistry degree from University of North Texas earn a median salary of $61,580 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in TX, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $66,862. The degree typically pays for itself in 7.7 years.

Quick Insights

Slow Burn / High Debt Risk

How this degree looks at a glance

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

Salary Ranges

Starting Range

$44,483

Typical Career

$61,580

Top Performers

$74,229

Estimated break-even: 7.7 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$411

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $5,132. Most students can comfortably afford about a $411 monthly loan payment with this degree.

Comparison Bench

This degree earns 1.6x more than the average US high school graduate and 0.8x 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: Educational Services, Professional, Scientific & Technical Services, Finance & Insurance.

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Educational Services 22.6%
Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 11.5%
Finance & Insurance 10.1%

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

5-Year Median Salary — National Purchasing Power Equivalent

$66,862

Nominal: $61,580 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).

7.7 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 $28,883 $40,897 $53,372
5 Years After Graduation $44,483 $61,580 $74,229
10 Years After Graduation $66,118 $92,521 $134,343

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 $61,580 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)
= $61,580 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9210) = $66,862 National Average equivalent.

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

Career Verdict

Graduates with a degree in Chemistry from the University of North Texas can expect a positive earnings trajectory. The median earnings one year after graduation stand at $40,897, which increases to $61,580 after five years and reaches $92,521 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the five-year salary aligns with a national equivalent of $66,862.11, indicating that graduates can maintain a competitive standard of living despite regional cost-of-living differences, as Texas has a cost-of-living index of 0.921 compared to the national average.

In terms of career opportunities, graduates primarily enter fields such as Educational Services (22.6%), Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (11.5%), and Finance & Insurance (10.1%). The estimated break-even point for pursuing a Chemistry degree versus a high-school-only path is approximately 7.7 years, suggesting a reasonable return on investment for those who complete their degree. Overall, a Chemistry degree from this institution offers a solid foundation for entering diverse industries with promising long-term financial benefits.

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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.