ROI Major

Chemistry at Augusta University

GA · Bachelor's Degree · CIP 40.05

Data: 2026 release

Executive Summary

Graduates with a Chemistry degree from Augusta University earn a median salary of $61,332 within five years of graduation. Adjusted for the cost of living in GA, this represents a national purchasing power equivalent of $67,770. The degree typically pays for itself in 8.2 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 bachelor's graduates from this school usually land.

Salary Ranges

Starting Range

$45,751

Typical Career

$61,332

Top Performers

$94,607

Estimated break-even: 8.2 years.

Debt-to-Income Check

$409

Estimated comfortable monthly loan payment

Typical monthly pay is approximately $5,111. Most students can comfortably afford about a $409 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 Georgia buys what costs $0.91 nationally.

Industry Breadcrumbs

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

Where Bachelor's Graduates from This School Work

Health Care & Social Assistance 39.2%
Educational Services 20.5%
Professional, Scientific & Technical Services 7.4%

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

$67,770

Nominal: $61,332 in Georgia (COL 90.5% of national avg) · 10.5% 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).

8.2 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 $26,319 $41,887 $60,961
5 Years After Graduation $45,751 $61,332 $94,607
10 Years After Graduation $54,656 $75,329 $122,926

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 $61,332 is reported by the US Census Bureau's Post-Secondary Employment Outcomes (PSEO) dataset for graduates working in GA, which has a cost-of-living index of 90.5% of the national average.

Formula: Adjusted Salary = Nominal × (1.0 ÷ COL Index)
= $61,332 × (1.0 ÷ 0.9050) = $67,770 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 Augusta University can expect a promising earnings trajectory. The median earnings one year after graduation stand at $41,887, which increases to $61,332 after five years and reaches $75,329 after ten years. When adjusted for purchasing power, the median five-year salary translates to approximately $67,770.17 on a national scale, indicating that graduates maintain a competitive edge in terms of real income relative to their peers across the country.

The top industries for Chemistry graduates include Health Care & Social Assistance (39.2%), Educational Services (20.5%), and Professional, Scientific & Technical Services (7.4%). The estimated break-even point for pursuing a degree versus a high-school-only path is approximately 8.2 years, suggesting that the investment in higher education can yield a favorable return over time. Overall, a Chemistry degree from Augusta University presents a solid opportunity for career advancement and financial growth in various 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 Augusta 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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