Chemistry Degree in Arlington, VA — Salary & ROI 2026
Chemistry degree analysis for Arlington, VA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$78K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$121K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
4.3 yrs
in Arlington
Cost of Living
142.5
index (100 = avg)
Chemistry in Arlington, VA Overview
Arlington, Virginia (pop. 238,643) has 9 colleges offering Chemistry programs. The local cost of living index of 142.5 is higher than average, so budget accordingly, with average rent near campus at $2,040/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 Arlington is approximately $78,375, growing to $121,125 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
9
Public Tuition
$14,200/yr
Private Tuition
$38,000/yr
Room & Board
$16,293/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$10,637/yr
Unemployment
2.2%
Graduation Rate
60%
Chemistry Salary in Arlington (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Arlington's cost of living index of 142.5 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Chemistry salary: $55,000 starting, $85,000 mid-career, $110,000 senior level.Arlington adjustment factor: 1.43x based on the local cost of living index.
Chemistry ROI Calculator for Arlington
Estimate your return on investment for a Chemistry degree using local Arlington tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $14,200 | Private avg: $38,000
Arlington avg aid: $10,637/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$121,972
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$28,500
vs HS diploma in Arlington
ROI Payback Period
4.3 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Arlington
$661,778
Lifetime earnings premium ($783,750) minus total education cost ($121,972)
Student Loan Payoff for Chemistry in Arlington
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Arlington for Chemistry
Arlington State University
public
$14,920/yr
$59,680 total
University of Arlington
public
$14,115/yr
$56,460 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Arlington Community College
$6,397/yr
Virginia Technical College - Arlington
$5,927/yr
Top Employers for Chemistry in Arlington
Arlington offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Chemistry graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Arlington 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
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
Alexandria, VA
$56K starting · COL 102
8 colleges
Hampton, VA
$53K starting · COL 97
7 colleges
Roanoke, VA
$49K starting · COL 88.5
4 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Arlington
Prompt Engineering
$71K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$135K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$121K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$125K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$117K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$71K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$114K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$71K starting · 3 yr ROI
Chemistry Degree in Arlington — 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 Arlington.