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2026 Highest Paid Chemistry Grads in the The Plains States Region

[Chemistry](/majors/physical-sciences/chemistry/) is a field where your choice of school can shape what you earn after graduation. The schools below stand out for the salaries their chemistry graduates go on to command.

College Factual analyzed 3 schools to build this 2026 ranking of the highest-paying chemistry schools.

What’s on this page:

• Highest Paid Chemistry Grads in the The Plains States Region

2026 Highest Paid Chemistry Grads in the The Plains States Region

Below are the schools whose chemistry graduates go on to earn the most.

Highest Paid Chemistry Graduates

1

University Of Missouri Columbia
Columbia, MO

$104,095 Average Early-Career Salary

For graduate earnings in chemistry, no school beat University Of Missouri Columbia this year. Located in the city of Columbia, University Of Missouri Columbia is a public institution. After graduating, chemistry degree recipients from University Of Missouri Columbia typically earn about $104,095 annually.

2

South Dakota State University
Brookings, SD

$59,387 Average Early-Career Salary

Students chasing top earnings in chemistry will find them at South Dakota State University, which ranked #2. South Dakota State University is a public school located in the town of Brookings. Students who complete the chemistry program here go on to a median salary of roughly $59,387.

3

Iowa State University
Ames, IA

$70,782 Average Early-Career Salary

Students chasing top earnings in chemistry will find them at Iowa State University, which ranked #3. Iowa State University is a public school located in the city of Ames. After graduating, chemistry degree recipients from Iowa State University typically earn about $70,782 annually.

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Notes and References

This ranking is produced by College Factual, 2026 edition. Schools are ranked on the median early-career earnings of their chemistry graduates, drawn primarily from the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard field-of-study earnings and IPEDS).

Ranking method: College Major Earnings · 3 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.

• The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS) from the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), a branch of the U.S. Department of Education (DOE), serves as the core of our data about colleges.
• Graduate earnings data comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s (College Scorecard) field-of-study earnings.

More about our data sources and methodologies.