MAJORS · 73 OF 115 SUBFIELDS BY ROI
Is a chemistry degree worth it?
Part of Physical Sciences — see the whole category’s numbers.
On average, yes — the mean lifetime ROI is +$364,061. But the spread is the real story.
MEAN LIFETIME ROI · FREOPP 2021 · COHORT-WEIGHTED
+$364,061
across 307 bachelor’s programs · 13,142 graduates
MEDIAN GRADUATE
+$391K
MIDDLE 50% LAND BETWEEN
+$190K ⟷ +$541K
NEVER BREAK EVEN
8.4%
MEDIAN PROGRAM-ESTIMATED BREAK-EVEN AGE
33
Among programs that break even; weighted by graduate cohorts. These are program estimates, not tracked individual graduate outcomes.
ADJUSTED FOR REAL COMPLETION RATES
+$220K
IF YOU DROP OUT
−$111K
Questions
- Is a chemistry degree worth it?
- On average yes — across 307 U.S. bachelor’s programs (FREOPP 2021, cohort-weighted), the mean lifetime ROI for Chemistry is +$364,061 and the median is +$390,901. 8.4% of graduate cohort weight with reported break-even data is in programs flagged as never breaking even. The honest answer depends heavily on the specific program and school: the middle half of graduates land between +$189,555 and +$541,266.
- How long until a chemistry degree pays off?
- For Chemistry, Among programs that break even, the median program-estimated break-even age, weighted by graduate cohorts, is 33. 8.4% of graduate cohort weight with reported break-even data is in programs flagged as never breaking even. FREOPP 2021.
- Does the school matter for a chemistry major?
- Enormously. The middle 50% of Chemistry graduates span +$189,555 to +$541,266 — a +$352K spread within one major. The same field can be a strong trade at one school and a losing one at another, which is why the per-school number matters more than the field average.
↓ Download the data (CSV) · All 115 subfields with full statistics. Free to cite with attribution. · Methodology
Cite this:
LE TEEN (2026). “Chemistry: lifetime ROI statistics.” Data: FREOPP 2021. https://le-teen.com/majors/chemistry