Home › Western Washington University › Chemistry

Chemistry at Western Washington University

Bellingham, WA · Public · Bachelor's Degree

DegreeOutlook Score (Base Case) — assumes in-state tuition

Optimistic

Base Case

Pessimistic

Earnings $48,527/yr (18% vs median)

AI Risk High (47% exposed)

Job Market Very Large (169,700 openings/yr)

ROI 18.7x earnings multiple (6.2x out-of-state)

Ranked #7 of 205 Chemistry programs Top 5%

How AI Changes the Outlook

Three scenarios based on how aggressively AI disrupts the career paths available to Chemistry graduates.

	Optimistic No Disruption	Base Case Gradual AI	Pessimistic Aggressive AI
10-Year Earnings	$708K	$695K	$610K
Earnings Multiple (In-State)	19.1x	18.7x	16.4x
Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State)	6.4x	6.2x	5.5x
Probability of Field Employment	57%	54%	38%
DegreeOutlook Score	71	70	66

10-Year Earnings Projection

*Year 1 uses actual reported earnings. Scenarios diverge as AI impact compounds over time.

4-Year Tuition, In-State (Sticker)

$37,144

Out-of-state: $111,412 (6.2x ROI)

4-Year Net Price (After Aid)

$74,720

-101% less than sticker · See by income

Median Debt at Graduation

$20,012

4.9 months of Year 1 earnings

Reported Earnings (5 Year)

$77,595

60% growth from Year 1

Program Analysis

First-year earnings of $48,527 at Western Washington University come in 18% above the national median of $41,256 for Chemistry programs.

The 18.7x earnings multiple means ten-year projected earnings exceed tuition cost by an order of magnitude. By pure financial math, this is a standout.

AI risk is moderate — 47% task exposure — and the 14% scenario spread suggests disruption would dent but not destroy the earnings outlook.

With first-year pay of $48,527 far exceeding the $20,012 median debt, the payback timeline is measured in months, not years.

Ranked #7 out of 205 programs, Western Washington University's Chemistry program lands in the top 5% — a strong signal of graduate success.

Earnings growth from $48,527 to $77,595 over five years (60% increase) indicates that graduates in this field see meaningful salary progression.

About Western Washington University

Western Washington University accepts 91% of applicants — an open-access institution by design, with a mid-sized student body of 13,574 in Bellingham, WA.

See all programs and financial aid at Western Washington University →

Top Career Paths

Natural sciences managers $161,180/yr

Computer and information research scientists $140,910/yr

Data scientists $112,590/yr

View all 14 career paths with salary ranges and AI risk →

Compare & Explore

Chemistry at Other Schools

Compare Chemistry

Other Majors at Western Washington University

Consider the Trade Route?

Trade programs often mean less time in school, lower student debt, and hands-on career paths that tend to be more resilient to AI disruption.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Western Washington University's Chemistry program score?

A score of 70/100 indicates strong financial outcomes. Western Washington University's Chemistry graduates fare well on earnings, job market size, and return on investment.

How vulnerable is Chemistry to AI automation?

AI won't 'replace' Chemistry careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 47% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.

Why does Western Washington University rank so high for Chemistry?

The #7 ranking out of 205 programs is driven by strong financial outcomes — graduates earn well, debt is manageable relative to income, and the job market supports the field.

Scores use College Scorecard earnings, BLS employment projections, and AI task-exposure research. See full methodology →