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2023 Best Value Chemistry Schools For Those Making $0-$30k

239 Ranked Colleges
20,056 Degrees Awarded
$4,900 Avg Net Price*
Best Value Chemistry Schools For Those Making $0-$30k

With all of the options students have for higher education today, it can be tough to choose which direction to take. College Factual was founded, in part, to help students make the decision as to what would be the best school for them. Our “Best Value Chemistry Schools For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking is part of that endeavor.

In 2020-2021, 20,056 people earned their degree in general chemistry, making the major the 43rd most popular in the United States.

This year’s “Best Value Chemistry Schools For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking analyzed 239 colleges that offered a degree in general chemistry. This ranking identifies schools with high-quality general chemistry programs that also have a lower cost than schools of similar quality.

Some of the factors we look at when determining these rankings are overall quality of the general chemistry program at the school and the cost of the school after aid is awarded among other things. For more information, check out our ranking methodology.

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Since picking the right college can be one of the most important decisions of your life, we’ve developed the “Best Value Chemistry Schools For Those Making $0-$30k” ranking, along with many other major-related rankings, to help you make that decision.

One of our other unique offerings is College Combat. This tool lets you build your own customized comparisons utilizing the factors that are most important to you. Test it out when you get a chance! You may also want to bookmark the link and share it with others who are trying to make the college decision.

Best Value Chemistry Schools For Those Making $0-$30k

The following schools top our list of the Best Best Value Chemistry Schools For Those Making $0-$30k.

Top 25 Best Value Colleges for General Chemistry (Income $0-$30k)

1
Stanford crest
Stanford University
Stanford, California

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Stanford University. It ranked #1 on our 2023 Best Value Chemistry Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Stanford is a fairly large private not-for-profit school situated in Stanford, California. It awarded 58 ’s chemistry degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at Stanford, the school also landed the #1 spot in our “Best General Chemistry Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Stanford University is $1,233 for chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 4 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.5% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 86%.

Read more about General Chemistry at Stanford University

2
Northwestern crest
Northwestern University
Evanston, Illinois

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend Northwestern University. It ranked #2 on our 2023 Best Value Chemistry Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Evanston, Illinois, this large private not-for-profit school awarded 62 degrees to qualified ’s chemistry students in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on our chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k list, Northwestern has also earned the #3 rank in our “Best General Chemistry Schools” ranking. The yearly cost to attend Northwestern University is $245 for chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, it’s easy to see that the school is committed to helping their undergraduates succeed.

Read full report on General Chemistry at Northwestern University

3
UChicago crest
University of Chicago
Chicago, Illinois

You’ll be in good company if you decide to attend University of Chicago. It ranked #3 on our 2023 Best Value Chemistry Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. This fairly large school is located in Chicago, Illinois, and it awarded 123 ’s chemistry degrees in 2020-2021.

UChicago not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #2 on our “Best General Chemistry Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend UChicago is $2,500 for chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.0%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 5 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 100%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full University of Chicago General Chemistry Report

4
Johns Hopkins crest
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, Maryland

Out of the 239 schools in the Best Value Chemistry Schools For Those Making $0-$30k that were part of this year’s ranking, Johns Hopkins University landed the #4 spot on the list. Johns Hopkins is a private not-for-profit institution located in Baltimore, Maryland. The school has a large population, and it awarded 51 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

Johns Hopkins did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #6 on our “Best General Chemistry Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Johns Hopkins University is $2,084 for Chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.3% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on General Chemistry at Johns Hopkins

5

You’ll join some of the best and brightest minds around if you attend University of Michigan - Ann Arbor. The school came in at #5 for the Best Value Chemistry Schools For Those Making $0-$30k. University of Michigan - Ann Arbor is located in Ann Arbor, Michigan and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 112 ’s chemistry degrees to qualified students.

U-M also took the #8 spot in our “Best General Chemistry Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for U-M is $2,670 for chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%.

Read more about General Chemistry at University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

6
Williams crest
Williams College
Williamstown, Massachusetts

Williams College came in at #6 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Chemistry Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Williams is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Williamstown, Massachusetts. It awarded 28 ’s chemistry degrees in 2020-2021.

Williams did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #18 on our “Best General Chemistry Schools” list. It costs about $1,451 for Chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Williams.

With a freshman retention rate of 90%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 6 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read full report on General Chemistry at Williams College

7

University of Wisconsin - Madison came in at #7 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Chemistry Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of Wisconsin - Madison is a public institution located in Madison, Wisconsin. The school has a large population, and it awarded 152 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

UW - Madison also made our “Best General Chemistry Schools” list, coming in at #11. The yearly cost to attend University of Wisconsin - Madison is $3,981 for chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.9%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Chemistry at University of Wisconsin - Madison

8

With a ranking of #8, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Chemistry Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Located in Champaign, Illinois, this large public school awarded 194 diplomas to qualified ’s chemistry students in 2020-2021.

UIUC did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #7 on our “Best General Chemistry Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend UIUC is $4,858 for Chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 2.3%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read more about General Chemistry at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

9
UF crest
University of Florida
Gainesville, Florida

University of Florida landed the #9 spot on the 2023 Best Value Chemistry Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This large school is located in Gainesville, Florida, and it awarded 177 ’s chemistry degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on this list, UF is in the top on our “Best General Chemistry Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our “Best General Chemistry Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for University of Florida is $65 for chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 97%. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 1.7%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Chemistry at UF

10

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill landed the #10 spot on the 2023 Best Value Chemistry Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is a large public school situated in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. It awarded 226 ’s chemistry degrees in 2020-2021.

UNC Chapel Hill not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #22 on our “Best General Chemistry Schools” list. It costs about $3,753 for Chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.4%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 95%.

Read full report on General Chemistry at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

11
Cornell crest
Cornell University
Ithaca, New York

Cornell University landed the #11 spot on the 2023 Best Value Chemistry Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Cornell University is a large school located in Ithaca, New York that handed out 117 ’s chemistry degrees in 2020-2021.

Cornell not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #4 on our “Best General Chemistry Schools” list. The estimated yearly cost for Cornell University is $5,244 for Chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The school has an impressive undergrad student loan default rate. It’s only 0.9%, which is much lower than the national rate of 10.1%. Since the school has a undergrad student-to-faculty ratio of 9 to 1, those pursuing a degree will have more opportunities to interact with their professors.

Read more about General Chemistry at Cornell

12

With a ranking of #12, University of California - Berkeley did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Chemistry Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. This large school is located in Berkeley, California, and it awarded 170 ’s chemistry degrees in 2020-2021.

UC Berkeley also took the #5 spot in our “Best General Chemistry Schools” ranking. It costs about $8,450 for Chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend University of California - Berkeley.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 96%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.8% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Full University of California - Berkeley General Chemistry Report

13
Wake Forest University crest
Wake Forest University
Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Wake Forest University came in at #13 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Chemistry Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This medium-sized school is located in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, and it awarded 32 ’s chemistry degrees in 2020-2021.

Wake Forest University also claimed a top spot on our “Best General Chemistry Schools” list. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. The yearly cost to attend Wake Forest University is $10,401 for Chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 95%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Chemistry at Wake Forest University

14

University of Minnesota - Twin Cities landed the #14 spot on the 2023 Best Value Chemistry Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Minneapolis, Minnesota is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s chemistry degrees to 186 students in 2020-2021.

UMN Twin Cities also made our “Best General Chemistry Schools” list, coming in at #13. The estimated yearly cost for UMN Twin Cities is $7,698 for Chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about General Chemistry at UMN Twin Cities

15
Purdue crest
Purdue University - Main Campus
West Lafayette, Indiana

Purdue University - Main Campus ranked #15 on this year’s Best Value Chemistry Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Purdue is a large school located in West Lafayette, Indiana that handed out 153 ’s chemistry degrees in 2020-2021.

On top of its placing in this ranking, Purdue also did well on our “Best General Chemistry Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 15% of all schools on our “Best General Chemistry Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend Purdue University - Main Campus is $5,995 for Chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. With a freshman retention rate of 93%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students.

Read full report on General Chemistry at Purdue University - Main Campus

16

University of Maryland - College Park did quite well in the 2023 Best Value Chemistry Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking, coming in at #16. College Park, Maryland is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s chemistry degrees to 62 students in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UMCP, the school also landed the #9 spot in our “Best General Chemistry Schools” ranking. The estimated yearly cost for University of Maryland - College Park is $6,067 for Chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Full UMCP General Chemistry Report

17

Indiana University - Bloomington ranked #17 on this year’s Best Value Chemistry Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Indiana University - Bloomington is a large school located in Bloomington, Indiana that handed out 81 ’s chemistry degrees in 2020-2021.

On top of its placing in this ranking, IU Bloomington also did well on our “Best General Chemistry Schools” list. It’s in the top [COLLEGE_QUALITY_PECTENTILE_ALL_LEVES]% of all schools in this category. It costs about $5,752 for chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend IU Bloomington.

Students who start out at the school are likely to stick around. The freshman retention rate is 91%. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.4% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read more about General Chemistry at Indiana University - Bloomington

18
William & Mary crest
William & Mary
Williamsburg, Virginia

William & Mary landed the #18 spot on the 2023 Best Value Chemistry Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. William & Mary is a medium-sized public school situated in Williamsburg, Virginia. It awarded 55 ’s chemistry degrees in 2020-2021.

William & Mary also claimed a top spot on our “Best General Chemistry Schools” list. It’s ranked in the top 20% of all schools on our “Best General Chemistry Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend William & Mary is $5,972 for Chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 0.7% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 93%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on General Chemistry at William & Mary

19
Hunter crest
Hunter College
New York, New York

Hunter College landed the #19 spot on the 2023 Best Value Chemistry Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Hunter College is a large public school situated in New York, New York. It awarded 132 ’s chemistry degrees in 2020-2021.

It costs about $396 for Chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Hunter College.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 3.1% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on General Chemistry at Hunter College

20

University of California - Los Angeles landed the #20 spot on the 2023 Best Value Chemistry Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. University of California - Los Angeles is a public institution located in Los Angeles, California. The school has a large population, and it awarded 135 ’s degrees in 2020-2021.

As a testament to the quality of education offered at UCLA, the school also landed the #14 spot in our “Best General Chemistry Schools” ranking. It costs about $9,037 for chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend UCLA.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 1.6%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 96%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on General Chemistry at University of California - Los Angeles

21

With a ranking of #21, California Institute of Technology did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Chemistry Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Caltech is a small private not-for-profit school situated in Pasadena, California. It awarded 32 ’s chemistry degrees in 2020-2021.

Caltech also claimed a top spot on our “Best General Chemistry Schools” list. It’s in the top 20% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $-539 for Chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend California Institute of Technology. When an average net price is negative, it usually means that the student will receive more financial aid than it costs to attend the school.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 94%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The impressive undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio of 3 to 1 means that students may have more opportunities to work more closely with their professors than they would at other schools.

Read more about General Chemistry at Caltech

22
Michigan State crest
Michigan State University
East Lansing, Michigan

Michigan State University came in at #22 in this year’s edition of the Best Value Chemistry Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. Michigan State is a large school located in East Lansing, Michigan that handed out 85 ’s chemistry degrees in 2020-2021.

In addition to being on this list, Michigan State is in the top on our “Best General Chemistry Schools” list. It’s in the top 15% of all schools reviewed in that analysis. It costs about $6,927 for Chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k per year to attend Michigan State.

The low undergrad student loan default rate of 2.6% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 91%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on General Chemistry at Michigan State University

23
Florida State crest
Florida State University
Tallahassee, Florida

With a ranking of #23, Florida State University did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Chemistry Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. Tallahassee, Florida is the setting for this large institution of higher learning. The public school handed out ’s chemistry degrees to 74 students in 2020-2021.

The yearly cost to attend Florida State University is $4,950 for chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k.

The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 2.8%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%. The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 95%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year.

Read full report on General Chemistry at Florida State

24

University of California - San Diego landed the #24 spot on the 2023 Best Value Chemistry Schools For Those Making $0-$30k ranking. This large school is located in La Jolla, California, and it awarded 172 ’s chemistry degrees in 2020-2021.

UCSD did well in our major quality rankings, too. It placed #12 on our “Best General Chemistry Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend UCSD is $9,823 for chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k.

With a freshman retention rate of 94%, the school does an excellent job of retaining its undergraduate students. The low undergrad student loan default rate of 1.0% is a good sign that students have an easier time paying off their loans than they might at other schools. For comparison, the national default rate is 10.1%.

Read full report on General Chemistry at UCSD

25
University of Virginia crest
University of Virginia - Main Campus
Charlottesville, Virginia

With a ranking of #25, University of Virginia - Main Campus did quite well on the 2023 Best Value Chemistry Schools For Those Making $0-$30k list. University of Virginia is located in Charlottesville, Virginia and, has a large student population. In 2020-2021, this school awarded 157 ’s chemistry degrees to qualified students.

University of Virginia not only placed well in this ranking. It is also #16 on our “Best General Chemistry Schools” list. The yearly cost to attend University of Virginia is $12,476 for chemistry students whose families make $0-$30k.

The school has an excellent freshman retention rate of 97%, which means students like the school well enough to return for a second year. The undergrad student loan default rate at the school is 0.7%, which is quite low when compared to the national default rate of 10.1%.

Read full report on General Chemistry at University of Virginia - Main Campus

Rest of the Best 36 in Best Value Chemistry Schools For Those Making $0-$30k

Not only did these schools make the top 36 list, but they also landed in the top 15% of this year’s ranking:

26
27
Smith crest
Smith College
Northampton, Massachusetts
28
NC State crest
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, North Carolina
29
30
31
32
33
34
UGA crest
University of Georgia
Athens, Georgia
35
36
Northeastern crest
Northeastern University
Boston, Massachusetts

Notes and References

References

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