by our College Data Analytics Team
[Chemistry](/majors/physical-sciences/chemistry/) is a field where your choice of school can shape what you earn after graduation. The highest-paying schools turn a chemistry degree into the strongest early-career earnings.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 6 schools on the early-career earnings of their chemistry graduates.
What’s on this page:
Below are the schools whose chemistry graduates go on to earn the most.
Leading the list is University Of Kentucky, our #1 for chemistry graduate salaries in Kentucky. University Of Kentucky is a public school located in the city of Lexington. Students who complete the chemistry program here go on to a median salary of roughly $64,235.
Northern Kentucky University came in at #2 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying chemistry schools. Northern Kentucky University is a public school located in the suburb of Highland Heights. Students who complete the chemistry program here go on to a median salary of roughly $63,085.
Strong graduate earnings at Western Kentucky University earned it the #3 place for chemistry. Western Kentucky University is a public school located in the city of Bowling Green. After graduating, chemistry degree recipients from Western Kentucky University typically earn about $55,012 annually.
Eastern Kentucky University produces some of the highest-paid graduates in chemistry, landing the #4 spot this year. Located in the town of Richmond, Eastern Kentucky University is a public institution. After graduating, chemistry degree recipients from Eastern Kentucky University typically earn about $82,608 annually.
Murray State University came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying chemistry schools. Murray State University is a public school located in the town of Murray. Chemistry graduates of Murray State University earn a median of about $48,334 a year early in their careers.
University Of Louisville landed the #6 spot for chemistry salaries this year. Located in the city of Louisville, University Of Louisville is a public institution. Chemistry graduates of University Of Louisville earn a median of about $41,842 a year early in their careers.
This ranking is produced by College Factual, 2026 edition. The methodology measures the salaries chemistry graduates go on to earn early in their careers, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).
Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 6 schools evaluated.
*Salary figures reflect median early-career earnings (about 5 years after graduation) and may vary by how long a person takes to complete their degree.
More about our data sources and methodologies.