Chemistry Degree in Alexandria, VA — Salary & ROI 2026
Chemistry degree analysis for Alexandria, VA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$56K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$87K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
4.7 yrs
in Alexandria
Cost of Living
102
index (100 = avg)
Chemistry in Alexandria, VA Overview
Alexandria, Virginia (pop. 159,467) has 8 colleges offering Chemistry programs. The local cost of living index of 102 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $930/month. Although national enrollment in Chemistry has been declining, graduates with skills in Organic Chemistry and Analytical Chemistry remain competitive in the job market. The adjusted starting salary in Alexandria is approximately $56,100, growing to $86,700 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
8
Public Tuition
$14,726/yr
Private Tuition
$40,924/yr
Room & Board
$9,270/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$8,142/yr
Unemployment
4.5%
Graduation Rate
74%
Chemistry Salary in Alexandria (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Alexandria's cost of living index of 102 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Chemistry salary: $55,000 starting, $85,000 mid-career, $110,000 senior level.Alexandria adjustment factor: 1.02x based on the local cost of living index.
Chemistry ROI Calculator for Alexandria
Estimate your return on investment for a Chemistry degree using local Alexandria tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $14,726 | Private avg: $40,924
Alexandria avg aid: $8,142/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$95,984
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$20,400
vs HS diploma in Alexandria
ROI Payback Period
4.7 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Alexandria
$465,016
Lifetime earnings premium ($561,000) minus total education cost ($95,984)
Student Loan Payoff for Chemistry in Alexandria
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Alexandria for Chemistry
Virginia Tech Northern Virginia
public
$14,726/yr
$58,904 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Northern Virginia Community College
$5,340/yr
Top Employers for Chemistry in Alexandria
Alexandria offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Chemistry graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Alexandria Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Chemistry Job Titles
Chemistry in Nearby Virginia Cities
Virginia Beach, VA
$48K starting · COL 88
13 colleges
Chesapeake, VA
$50K starting · COL 91
12 colleges
Arlington, VA
$78K starting · COL 142.5
9 colleges
Norfolk, VA
$51K starting · COL 93
16 colleges
Richmond, VA
$55K starting · COL 100
11 colleges
Newport News, VA
$51K starting · COL 92.5
7 colleges
Hampton, VA
$53K starting · COL 97
7 colleges
Roanoke, VA
$49K starting · COL 88.5
4 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Alexandria
Prompt Engineering
$51K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$97K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$87K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$90K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$84K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$51K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$82K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$51K starting · 3 yr ROI
Chemistry Degree in Alexandria — FAQ
Data Sources: Salary data from BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook. Cost of living from BLS Regional Data. College data from NCES/IPEDS. Updated March 2026.
Explore More
Compare Chemistry ROI in other cities, or explore other majors in Alexandria.