Chemistry Degree in Berkeley, CA — Salary & ROI 2026
Chemistry degree analysis for Berkeley, CA. 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
6.2 yrs
in Berkeley
Cost of Living
102
index (100 = avg)
Chemistry in Berkeley, CA Overview
Berkeley, California (pop. 124,321) has 7 colleges offering Chemistry programs. The local cost of living index of 102 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $961/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 Berkeley is approximately $56,100, growing to $86,700 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
7
Public Tuition
$14,312/yr
Private Tuition
$41,049/yr
Room & Board
$17,106/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$11,462/yr
Unemployment
3.9%
Graduation Rate
66%
Chemistry Salary in Berkeley (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Berkeley'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.Berkeley adjustment factor: 1.02x based on the local cost of living index.
Chemistry ROI Calculator for Berkeley
Estimate your return on investment for a Chemistry degree using local Berkeley tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $14,312 | Private avg: $41,049
Berkeley avg aid: $11,462/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$125,672
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$20,400
vs HS diploma in Berkeley
ROI Payback Period
6.2 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Berkeley
$435,328
Lifetime earnings premium ($561,000) minus total education cost ($125,672)
Student Loan Payoff for Chemistry in Berkeley
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Berkeley for Chemistry
UC Berkeley
public
$14,312/yr
$57,248 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Berkeley City College
$1,540/yr
Top Employers for Chemistry in Berkeley
Berkeley offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Chemistry graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Berkeley Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Chemistry Job Titles
Chemistry in Nearby California Cities
Los Angeles, CA
$78K starting · COL 141
69 colleges
San Diego, CA
$77K starting · COL 140
68 colleges
San Jose, CA
$71K starting · COL 129
95 colleges
San Francisco, CA
$63K starting · COL 114
22 colleges
Fresno, CA
$65K starting · COL 118
37 colleges
Sacramento, CA
$62K starting · COL 112
38 colleges
Long Beach, CA
$64K starting · COL 116
14 colleges
Oakland, CA
$73K starting · COL 132
13 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Berkeley
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
Astrophysics
$87K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$51K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$82K starting · 3 yr ROI
Chemistry Degree in Berkeley — 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 Berkeley.