Best Chemistry Programs in Pennsylvania (2026)
Updated
This page ranks the 12 Chemistry programs in Pennsylvania by the median earnings of Chemistry graduates four years after completing, highest first. Drexel University leads the list at $82,185, followed by Temple University at $78,052 and East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania at $73,146.
Across the listed schools, the median figure is $65,227, with a spread of $43,896 from the top to the bottom of the table. For 4 of the 12 programs the earnings figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.
The list is predominantly public: 10 of the 12 schools are public institutions, while 2 are private nonprofits. Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania posts the lowest average net price on the page at $15,699, and Carnegie Mellon University ranks 106th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Drexel University · Philadelphia, PA | $82,185 | $38,509 | $28,055 | 79.4% |
| Drexel University reports $82,185 in median earnings of Chemistry graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $38,509. | |||||
| 2 | Temple University · Philadelphia, PA | $78,052 | $28,198 | $22,694 | 80.4% |
| Temple University admits 80% of applicants and its Chemistry graduates earned a median of $78,052 four years after completing. | |||||
| 3 | East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania · East Stroudsburg, PA | $73,146 | $18,134 | $15,365 | 92.1% |
| Graduates across all fields who borrowed left with a median of $24,218 in federal loans at East Stroudsburg University of Pennsylvania, which ranks 3rd on this list. | |||||
| 4 | University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus · Pittsburgh, PA | $70,206 | $30,434 | $14,709 | 58.1% |
| University of Pittsburgh-Pittsburgh Campus ranks 485th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and shows a $70,206 median for its Chemistry graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 5 | Millersville University of Pennsylvania · Millersville, PA | $69,998 | $20,787 | $14,565 | 86.2% |
| With an average net price of $20,787, Millersville University of Pennsylvania posts median earnings of $69,998 for its Chemistry graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 6 | Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus · University Park, PA | $65,230 | $32,875 | $19,845 | 60.6% |
| Pennsylvania State University-Main Campus reports $65,230 in median earnings of Chemistry graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $19,845 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 7 | Pennsylvania Western University · California, PA | $65,224 | $18,256 | $13,944 | 94.3% |
| An admission rate of 94% and median earnings of $65,224 for its Chemistry graduates four years after completing are posted by Pennsylvania Western University. | |||||
| 8 | Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania · Bloomsburg, PA | $63,088 | $15,699 | $11,374 | 93.1% |
| Graduates across all fields who borrowed left with a median of $26,000 in federal loans at Commonwealth University of Pennsylvania, which ranks 8th on this list. | |||||
| 9 | Carnegie Mellon University · Pittsburgh, PA | $57,318 | $31,944 | $9,097 | 11.7% |
| Carnegie Mellon University ranks 106th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and shows a $57,318 median for its Chemistry graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 10 | Kutztown University of Pennsylvania · Kutztown, PA | $49,019 | $21,331 | $15,957 | 90.8% |
| With an average net price of $21,331, Kutztown University of Pennsylvania posts median earnings of $49,019 for its Chemistry graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 11 | West Chester University of Pennsylvania · West Chester, PA | $48,432 | $23,331 | $17,018 | 78.4% |
| West Chester University of Pennsylvania reports $48,432 in median earnings of Chemistry graduates four years after completing and an average net price of $17,018 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 12 | Indiana University of Pennsylvania · Indiana, PA | $38,289 | $16,804 | $12,364 | 90.8% |
| Indiana University of Pennsylvania admits 91% of applicants, and its Chemistry graduates earned a median of $38,289 four years after completing. | |||||
How this list is ordered
Programs are ordered by the median earnings of their Chemistry graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only programs with a reported earnings cohort in Pennsylvania appear. The figure is the median for federally aided completers of the program who were working and not enrolled. For 4 of the 12 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one. The metric does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The gap between Drexel University and Temple University is $4,133, while the spread from the top of the list to the bottom reaches $43,896.
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