Best Chemistry Programs in the West (2026)
Updated
Regional list from Best Chemistry Programs in the United States
This page ranks 52 Chemistry programs in the West by median earnings of Chemistry graduates four years after completing. University of California-Berkeley leads the list with median earnings of $82,386 for its graduates four years after completing.
Across the listed programs, the figure ranges from $82,386 to $28,598, with a median of $64,910. The gap between the first- and second-ranked programs is $402.
Public institutions account for 88% of the programs on the list. University of California-San Diego ranks 1st on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions.
California State University-Los Angeles reports the lowest average net price on the page, at $3,967.
The ranked list
| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California-Berkeley · Berkeley, CA | $82,386 | $13,481 | $5,311 | 11.0% |
| University of California-Berkeley reports median earnings of $82,386 for its Chemistry graduates four years after completing, the highest on this list, alongside an admission rate of 11%. | |||||
| 2 | University of Oregon · Eugene, OR | $81,984 | $22,182 | $15,909 | 88.3% |
| Graduates across all fields who borrowed left University of Oregon with a median of $20,139 in federal loans, while its Chemistry graduates earned a median of $81,984 four years after completing, ranking 2nd on this page. | |||||
| 3 | California State University-Northridge · Northridge, CA | $79,878 | $7,021 | $4,905 | 93.5% |
| With an average net price of $7,021, California State University-Northridge ranks 3rd on this page and posts median earnings of $79,878 for its Chemistry graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 4 | Willamette University · Salem, OR | $79,592 | $25,121 | $16,182 | 77.1% |
| Willamette University, a private nonprofit university in Salem, ranks 4th on this list and reports median earnings of $79,592 for its Chemistry graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 5 | Boise State University · Boise, ID | $78,901 | $21,610 | $18,165 | 87.2% |
| Boise State University admits 87% of applicants and reports median earnings of $78,901 for its Chemistry graduates four years after completing, ranking 5th on this page. | |||||
| 6 | Oregon State University · Corvallis, OR | $78,417 | $19,604 | $12,107 | 77.3% |
| An average net price of $19,604 coincides with Oregon State University's 6th rank on this list and median earnings of $78,417 for its Chemistry graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 7 | University of California-San Diego · La Jolla, CA | $77,249 | $12,470 | $7,525 | 26.7% |
| University of California-San Diego ranks 7th on this list and reports median earnings of $77,249 for its Chemistry graduates four years after completing, with an admission rate of 27%. | |||||
| 8 | Metropolitan State University of Denver · Denver, CO | $76,759 | $15,327 | $12,481 | 98.8% |
| Admitting 99% of applicants, Metropolitan State University of Denver reports median earnings of $76,759 for its Chemistry graduates four years after completing, ranking 8th on this page. | |||||
| 9 | Central Washington University · Ellensburg, WA | $75,905 | $18,476 | $11,846 | 90.6% |
| Central Washington University ranks 9th on this list with median earnings of $75,905 four years after completing, and its graduates across all fields who borrowed left with a median of $19,500 in federal loans. | |||||
| 10 | University of California-Irvine · Irvine, CA | $74,810 | $14,251 | $8,123 | 28.6% |
| University of California-Irvine reports median earnings of $74,810 for its Chemistry graduates four years after completing, ranking 10th on this page, and holds an average net price of $14,251. | |||||
| 11 | University of California-Santa Barbara · Santa Barbara, CA | $74,713 | $16,109 | $9,231 | 33.0% |
| Graduates across all fields who borrowed left University of California-Santa Barbara with a median of $13,993 in federal loans, and its Chemistry graduates earned a median of $74,713 four years after completing. | |||||
| 12 | San Diego State University · San Diego, CA | $74,676 | $15,364 | $9,910 | 36.2% |
| San Diego State University admits 36% of applicants and reports median earnings of $74,676 for its Chemistry graduates four years after completing, ranking 12th on this page. | |||||
| 13 | California State University-Sacramento · Sacramento, CA | $74,430 | $9,338 | $6,501 | 94.0% |
| California State University-Sacramento reports median earnings of $74,430 for its Chemistry graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $9,338. | |||||
| 14 | California State University-Stanislaus · Turlock, CA | $73,392 | $6,067 | $3,938 | 98.1% |
| Graduates across all fields who borrowed at California State University-Stanislaus left with a median of $13,540 in federal loans, and the school ranks 14th on this list. | |||||
| 15 | University of California-Davis · Davis, CA | $73,365 | $14,741 | $9,211 | 41.8% |
| University of California-Davis admits 42% of applicants and holds an Azimuth composite rank of 18th among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
| 16 | University of California-Los Angeles · Los Angeles, CA | $72,220 | $12,548 | $5,579 | 9.0% |
| With an admission rate of 9%, University of California-Los Angeles is the most selective school on the page, and its Chemistry graduates earn a median of $72,220 four years after completing. | |||||
| 17 | Colorado State University-Fort Collins · Fort Collins, CO | $71,615 | $21,279 | $13,259 | 88.5% |
| Colorado State University-Fort Collins posts median earnings of $71,615 for its Chemistry graduates four years after completing, with an average net price of $21,279. | |||||
| 18 | University of California-Santa Cruz · Santa Cruz, CA | $71,348 | $17,890 | $8,717 | 65.8% |
| A public university in Santa Cruz, University of California-Santa Cruz shows a median of $16,666 in federal loans across all of its borrowers who completed. | |||||
| 19 | University of Utah · Salt Lake City, UT | $71,276 | $16,200 | $13,123 | 86.0% |
| University of Utah ranks 19th on this list and reports median earnings of $71,276 for its Chemistry graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 20 | Portland State University · Portland, OR | $70,948 | $9,552 | $7,655 | 90.9% |
| Portland State University has an average net price of $9,552 and an Azimuth composite rank of 135th among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
| 21 | California State Polytechnic University-Pomona · Pomona, CA | $70,741 | $11,531 | $7,851 | 75.2% |
| California State Polytechnic University-Pomona reports median earnings of $70,741 for its Chemistry graduates four years after completing, with a cohort of 76 graduates in the earnings cohort. | |||||
| 22 | University of Wyoming · Laramie, WY | $69,992 | $13,599 | $7,977 | 96.9% |
| University of Wyoming admits 97% of applicants, and graduates across all fields who borrowed left with a median of $18,000 in federal loans. | |||||
| 23 | California State University-Long Beach · Long Beach, CA | $67,818 | $10,440 | $7,183 | 46.3% |
| California State University-Long Beach holds an Azimuth composite rank of 5th among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports median earnings of $67,818 for its Chemistry graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 24 | University of Arizona · Tucson, AZ | $66,532 | $16,674 | $13,353 | 86.1% |
| University of Arizona posts an average net price of $16,674 and ranks 24th on this list. | |||||
| 25 | University of Northern Colorado · Greeley, CO | $65,414 | $17,760 | $12,695 | 85.9% |
| Ranks 25th on this list, University of Northern Colorado reports median earnings of $65,414 for its Chemistry graduates four years after completing alongside an average net price of $17,760. | |||||
| 26 | University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus · Denver, CO | $64,964 | $11,900 | $6,743 | 74.7% |
| Graduates across all fields who borrowed at University of Colorado Denver/Anschutz Medical Campus left with a median of $20,500 in federal loans, and the school ranks 130th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
| 27 | California State University-Fullerton · Fullerton, CA | $64,857 | $6,555 | $3,315 | 90.5% |
| California State University-Fullerton admits 91% of applicants and reports an average net price of $3,315 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 28 | University of Washington-Seattle Campus · Seattle, WA | $64,676 | $14,091 | $6,384 | 39.2% |
| University of Washington-Seattle Campus ranks 28th on this list, with median earnings of $64,676 for its Chemistry graduates four years after completing and a cohort of 77 graduates in the earnings cohort. | |||||
| 29 | University of California-Riverside · Riverside, CA | $64,131 | $14,304 | $8,852 | 76.4% |
| A public university in Riverside, University of California-Riverside posts an admission rate of 76% and an average net price of $14,304. | |||||
| 30 | California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo · San Luis Obispo, CA | $63,882 | $16,665 | $7,529 | 31.3% |
| California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo reports median earnings of $63,882 for its Chemistry graduates four years after completing, and graduates across all fields who borrowed left with a median of $18,500 in federal loans. | |||||
| 31 | California State University-San Bernardino · San Bernardino, CA | $63,496 | $4,564 | $2,681 | 93.7% |
| An average net price of $2,681 for families earning under $30,000 coincides with an Azimuth composite rank of 43rd among nonprofit four-year institutions at California State University-San Bernardino. | |||||
| 32 | Northern Arizona University · Flagstaff, AZ | $60,630 | $14,158 | $9,709 | 89.6% |
| Northern Arizona University admits 90% of applicants and reports median earnings of $60,630 for its Chemistry graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 33 | Pacific Lutheran University · Tacoma, WA | $59,993 | $19,589 | $13,609 | 78.0% |
| A private nonprofit university in Tacoma, Pacific Lutheran University reports an average net price of $19,589 and a median of $22,578 in federal loans across all of the school's borrowers who completed. | |||||
| 34 | California State University-Channel Islands · Camarillo, CA | $58,498 | $9,849 | $6,857 | 94.8% |
| California State University-Channel Islands ranks 34th on this list, with an admission rate of 95% and an average net price of $6,857 for families earning under $30,000. | |||||
| 35 | Arizona State University Campus Immersion · Tempe, AZ | $58,247 | $14,967 | $9,070 | 89.9% |
| Arizona State University Campus Immersion reports median earnings of $58,247 for its Chemistry graduates four years after completing, alongside a cohort of 101 graduates in the earnings cohort. | |||||
| 36 | University of California-Merced · Merced, CA | $56,888 | $11,983 | $7,945 | 90.5% |
| University of California-Merced ranks 121st on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports an average net price of $11,983. | |||||
| 37 | University of New Mexico-Main Campus · Albuquerque, NM | $56,319 | $15,489 | $11,938 | 95.2% |
| With 26 graduates in the earnings cohort, University of New Mexico-Main Campus reports median earnings of $56,319 for its Chemistry graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 38 | Western Washington University · Bellingham, WA | $55,793 | $21,193 | $12,915 | 93.3% |
| Admitting 93% of applicants, Western Washington University posts median earnings of $55,793 for its Chemistry graduates four years after completing. | |||||
| 39 | University of Southern California · Los Angeles, CA | $54,966 | $32,740 | $13,516 | 9.8% |
| A private nonprofit university in Los Angeles, University of Southern California ranks 92nd on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and posts a 10% admission rate. | |||||
| 40 | California State University-Los Angeles · Los Angeles, CA | $51,747 | $3,967 | $2,877 | 91.3% |
| California State University-Los Angeles carries an average net price of $3,967 and its Chemistry graduates earn a median of $51,747 four years after completing. | |||||
| 41 | Fort Lewis College · Durango, CO | $51,332 | $17,296 | $18,622 | 77.3% |
| Graduates across all fields who borrowed left with a median of $18,389 in federal loans at Fort Lewis College, where the Chemistry program reports median earnings of $51,332 four years after completing. | |||||
| 42 | California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt · Arcata, CA | $50,579 | $13,171 | $8,483 | 98.2% |
| California State Polytechnic University-Humboldt ranks 390th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports an average net price of $13,171. | |||||
| 43 | California State University-Fresno · Fresno, CA | $45,522 | $7,000 | $5,105 | 95.3% |
| An average net price of $5,105 for families earning under $30,000 coincides with median earnings of $45,522 for Chemistry graduates at California State University-Fresno four years after completing. | |||||
| 44 | San Francisco State University · San Francisco, CA | $44,356 | $12,278 | $9,341 | 96.4% |
| San Francisco State University admits 96% of applicants and its Chemistry graduates earn a median of $44,356 four years after completing. | |||||
| 45 | University of Colorado Boulder · Boulder, CO | $42,682 | $25,346 | $14,231 | 78.1% |
| University of Colorado Boulder reports an average net price of $14,231 for families earning under $30,000, and its Chemistry graduates earn a median of $42,682 four years after completing. | |||||
| 46 | Eastern Washington University · Cheney, WA | $42,682 | $13,886 | $9,547 | 90.8% |
| Eastern Washington University ranks 316th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions, with 23 graduates in the Chemistry earnings cohort. | |||||
| 47 | Colorado School of Mines · Golden, CO | $38,289 | $28,690 | $16,849 | 60.7% |
| Colorado School of Mines admits 61% of applicants and its Chemistry graduates earn a median of $38,289 four years after completing. | |||||
| 48 | Whitworth University · Spokane, WA | $33,993 | $26,534 | $16,788 | 89.8% |
| Whitworth University reports an average net price of $16,788 for families earning under $30,000, and its Chemistry graduates earn a median of $33,993 four years after completing. | |||||
| 49 | University of Portland · Portland, OR | $32,925 | $28,210 | $20,070 | 89.2% |
| University of Portland ranks 49th on this list with median earnings of $32,925 for its Chemistry graduates four years after completing, and an average net price of $28,210. | |||||
| 50 | California State University-Bakersfield · Bakersfield, CA | $32,563 | $5,652 | $3,536 | 93.9% |
| A public university in Bakersfield, California State University-Bakersfield reports an average net price of $5,652 and an admission rate of 94%. | |||||
| 51 | University of Nevada-Reno · Reno, NV | $29,685 | $15,927 | $12,674 | 73.7% |
| University of Nevada-Reno posts median earnings of $29,685 for its Chemistry graduates four years after completing, alongside an Azimuth composite rank of 209th among nonprofit four-year institutions. | |||||
| 52 | Pacific University · Forest Grove, OR | $28,598 | $35,273 | $23,318 | 89.6% |
| Pacific University, a private nonprofit institution in Forest Grove, reports an average net price of $23,318 for families earning under $30,000 and a cohort of 10 graduates in the earnings cohort. | |||||
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 the West appear. The figure is the median earnings of federally aided Chemistry completers who were working and not enrolled, measured four years after completing. For 9 of the 52 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 spread from University of California-Berkeley to the bottom of the list is $53,788, and the gap between University of California-Berkeley and University of Oregon is just $402.