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. A top-earning program sends graduates into careers with strong starting pay.
To produce this 2026 ranking, College Factual evaluated 6 schools on the early-career earnings of their chemistry graduates.
What’s on this page:
If you want to know which schools send chemistry graduates into the highest-paying careers, see the list below.
Lindenwood University tops our 2026 list of the highest-paying chemistry schools in Missouri. Set in the city of Saint Charles, Lindenwood University is a private not-for-profit institution. Early-career chemistry graduates from Lindenwood University make a median of around $80,526 per year.
University Of Missouri St Louis produces some of the highest-paid graduates in chemistry, landing the #2 spot this year. Set in the suburb of Saint Louis, University Of Missouri St Louis is a public institution. After graduating, chemistry degree recipients from University Of Missouri St Louis typically earn about $63,244 annually.
Students chasing top earnings in chemistry will find them at University Of Missouri Kansas City, which ranked #3. Set in the city of Kansas City, University Of Missouri Kansas City is a public institution. Chemistry graduates of University Of Missouri Kansas City earn a median of about $69,063 a year early in their careers.
A rank of #4 makes Missouri State University Springfield one of the highest-paying schools for chemistry. Missouri State University Springfield is a public school located in the city of Springfield. Chemistry graduates of Missouri State University Springfield earn a median of about $63,214 a year early in their careers.
University Of Missouri Columbia came in at #5 on our 2026 list of the highest-paying chemistry schools. University Of Missouri Columbia is a public school located in the city of Columbia. Early-career chemistry graduates from University Of Missouri Columbia make a median of around $104,095 per year.
Northwest Missouri State University landed the #6 spot for chemistry salaries this year. Set in the town of Maryville, Northwest Missouri State University is a public institution. Chemistry graduates of Northwest Missouri State University earn a median of about $39,478 a year early in their careers.
This list is compiled 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.