Best Chemistry Schools Near Chattanooga, TN (2026)

Updated September 5, 2026 BLS data College Scorecard On this page

Chattanooga, Tennessee has 5 accredited schools offering chemistry programs. Chattanooga has a population of about 182,832. Median household income is $61,028 (Census ACS 2023, 5-year). About 35.5% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor’s degree or higher. In Tennessee, the top-earning chemistry-related role is Biochemists and Biophysicists at a median $134,560 annually (BLS, May 2025).

Closest Chemistry Schools to Chattanooga

The accredited institutions listed below are the closest in our directory that offer chemistry programs near Chattanooga, ranked by BOC Score and straight-line distance from Chattanooga city center. The list is rebuilt from federal IPEDS data on every site update.

How We Rank Schools

Every school list on this site is ordered by the BOC Score, computed from the most recent school-level data published by the U.S. Department of Education (College Scorecard and IPEDS). To qualify, a school must be currently operating and accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Each eligible school is then scored on five measures, percentile-ranked against schools at the same credential level:

  • Graduation rate 30%
  • Median earnings, 10 years after entry 25%
  • Average net price (lower is better) 20%
  • Retention rate 15%
  • Fully online availability 10%

Schools without enough outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. On this page, schools are ordered by distance from Chattanooga. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.

Ranked by BOC Score — U.S. Dept. of Education outcome data. Advertising never affects rankings.

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#1

The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga

Chattanooga, TN 3.2 miles from Chattanooga
  • 4 year
  • Offers a fully online program
54.4 BOC Score
Graduation rate 56%
Median earnings, 10 yrs after entry $51,151
Avg net price $14,265/yr
TuitionContact school for pricing
Contact
Key stats
  • Retention rate: 73%
  • Programs offered: 62

Source:IPEDSCollege Scorecard

Source: IPEDS / College Scorecard (2023 cohort). Browse all Tennessee schools on the Tennessee chemistry page.

Chemistry Wages Near Chattanooga

Chattanooga is part of the Chattanooga, TN-GA metro area (BLS area code 16860). Where MSA-level wages are published, the table below shows MSA medians; otherwise it falls back to Tennessee statewide.

Occupation Median Wage Source COL-Adjusted (US=100)
Chemists $92,490 Chattanooga, TN-GA $101,082
Biochemists and Biophysicists $134,560 TN statewide $147,060
Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary $74,450 Chattanooga, TN-GA $81,366
Chemical Technicians $51,630 Chattanooga, TN-GA $56,426
Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists $102,720 TN statewide $112,262
Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health $76,840 Chattanooga, TN-GA $83,978
Chemical Engineers N/A TN statewide –
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education $65,100 Chattanooga, TN-GA $71,148

Source: BLS, May 2025 Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes wage data at the metro (MSA) and state level – not by individual city.

Chattanooga at a Glance

Metric Value Source
Population 182,832 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B01003)
Median household income $61,028 Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B19013)
Adults 25+ with bachelor’s+ 35.5% Census ACS 2023 5-yr (B15003)
Regional Price Parity (US=100) 91.5 (below U.S. average) BEA RPP 2024

Other Chattanooga-Area Cities With Chemistry Programs

Frequently Asked Questions

How many accredited chemistry schools are near Chattanooga, TN?

Our directory has 5 accredited schools offering chemistry programs near Chattanooga. The closest is The University of Tennessee-Chattanooga in Chattanooga, TN (3.2 miles), and the farthest of the schools shown is Tennessee Wesleyan University (45.4 miles). 3 of the highlighted schools are flagged as offering distance education.

What are the highest-paying chemistry roles near Chattanooga?

Based on BLS OEWS May 2025 wage data, the top-paying chemistry-related roles near Chattanooga are: Biochemists and Biophysicists ($134,560), Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists ($102,720), Chemists ($92,490). These reflect MSA-level medians where published, with Tennessee statewide fallback for occupations not reported at the metro level.

Should I look at programs in East Ridge instead of Chattanooga?

East Ridge, TN is 4.9 miles from Chattanooga and has its own set of local chemistry programs – see the city’s page. For online programs, distance matters less; for hybrid or in-person formats, comparing both can help.

Is Chattanooga an affordable place to study chemistry?

Chattanooga’s median household income of $61,028 (Census ACS 2023) is one input. Online programs let students stay in Chattanooga while attending lower-cost out-of-state schools, and Tennessee public universities often offer reduced in-state online tuition.

How do I verify a program is accredited?

Confirm institutional accreditation via the U.S. Department of Education database (U.S. Dept. of Education database), and check for any program-specific accreditation listed by the school.

Learn More About Chemistry Programs

Other Programs Available in Chattanooga

Compare every accredited online degree program with city-level data for Chattanooga:

Data verified: September 5, 2026. Salary, employment, and tuition figures on this page are sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2024–2034) and the U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (2023 cohort). The source agency and data year are cited inline with every statistic.

Back to Best Chemistry Schools in Tennessee: Online Programs (2026)