Chemistry: California State University-Long Beach vs Fort Hays State University
Head-to-Head
| California State University-Long Beach | Fort Hays State University | |
|---|---|---|
| Earnings Multiple (In-State) | 21.6x | 18.8x |
| Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) | 8.0x | 6.3x |
| 4-Year Tuition (In-State) | $28,032 | $22,532 |
| Year 1 Earnings | $50,553 | $44,261 |
| 10-Year Earnings | $606K | $424K |
| Median Debt | $12,430 | $30,689 |
| Debt-to-Earnings Ratio | 3.0 months | 8.3 months |
| DegreeWorth Score (In-State) | 79/100 | 76/100 |
| Acceptance Rate | 47.1% | 91.8% |
Both programs have high AI automation risk (47% task exposure) — the same career paths apply to Chemistry graduates regardless of school. See full AI analysis →
ROI Breakdown
How tuition costs translate into long-term earnings for Chemistry graduates.
| California State University-Long Beach | Fort Hays State University | |
|---|---|---|
| 4-Year Tuition (In-State) | $28,032 | $22,532 |
| 4-Year Tuition (Out-of-State) | $75,552 | $67,244 |
| 10-Year Projected Earnings | $606K | $424K |
| Earnings Multiple (In-State) | 21.6x | 18.8x |
| Earnings Multiple (Out-of-State) | 8.0x | 6.3x |
| 5-Year Salary Growth | +59% | +5% |
"Earnings Multiple" = projected 10-year earnings ÷ 4-year tuition. Higher is better. Not a discounted financial ROI.
AI Disruption Scenarios
Both schools share identical AI exposure for Chemistry (same career paths). The score differences below reflect how each school's earnings and ROI hold up under stress.
| California State University-Long Beach | Fort Hays State University | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Optim. | Base | Pessim. | Optim. | Base | Pessim. | |
| 10-Year Earnings | $901K | $606K | $379K | $468K | $424K | $332K |
| Earnings Multiple (IS) | 32.1x | 21.6x | 13.5x | 20.8x | 18.8x | 14.7x |
| DegreeWorth Score | 81 | 79 | 72 | 75 | 76 | 70 |
For the full AI analysis of Chemistry career paths, see the California State University-Long Beach or Fort Hays State University program pages.
Earnings Trajectory Comparison
Projected annual earnings for Chemistry graduates. Year 1 uses actual reported data.
Career Paths
Chemistry graduates from both schools map to the same career paths. Differences in earnings reflect school prestige, location, and employer networks.
| Career Path | Wage | Openings/yr | Growth | AI Risk |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Natural sciences managers | $161,180 | 8,500 | +3.7% | 50% |
| Computer and information research scientists | $140,910 | 3,200 | +19.7% | 63% |
| Data scientists | $112,590 | 23,400 | +33.5% | 64% |
| Computer occupations, all other | $108,970 | 31,300 | +8.2% | 57% |
| Physics teachers, postsecondary | $97,360 | 1,300 | +2.5% | 42% |
| Environmental science teachers, postsecondary | $87,710 | 700 | +2.9% | 52% |
| Chemistry teachers, postsecondary | $86,220 | 1,900 | +2.2% | 43% |
| Chemists | $84,150 | 6,300 | +4.9% | 38% |