Chemistry Degree in Brownsville, TX — Salary & ROI 2026
Chemistry degree analysis for Brownsville, TX. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$46K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$71K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
4.9 yrs
in Brownsville
Cost of Living
83
index (100 = avg)
Chemistry in Brownsville, TX Overview
Brownsville, Texas (pop. 186,738) has 7 colleges offering Chemistry programs. The local cost of living index of 83 keeps student expenses low, with average rent near campus at $868/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 Brownsville is approximately $45,650, growing to $70,550 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
7
Public Tuition
$8,416/yr
Private Tuition
$32,593/yr
Room & Board
$12,079/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$12,908/yr
Unemployment
6.5%
Graduation Rate
46%
Chemistry Salary in Brownsville (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Brownsville's cost of living index of 83 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Chemistry salary: $55,000 starting, $85,000 mid-career, $110,000 senior level.Brownsville adjustment factor: 0.83x based on the local cost of living index.
Chemistry ROI Calculator for Brownsville
Estimate your return on investment for a Chemistry degree using local Brownsville tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $8,416 | Private avg: $32,593
Brownsville avg aid: $12,908/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$81,980
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$16,600
vs HS diploma in Brownsville
ROI Payback Period
4.9 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Brownsville
$374,520
Lifetime earnings premium ($456,500) minus total education cost ($81,980)
Student Loan Payoff for Chemistry in Brownsville
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Brownsville for Chemistry
University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
public
$8,416/yr
$33,664 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Texas Southmost College
$2,604/yr
Top Employers for Chemistry in Brownsville
Brownsville offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Chemistry graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Brownsville Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Chemistry Job Titles
Chemistry in Nearby Texas Cities
Houston, TX
$63K starting · COL 115
90 colleges
San Antonio, TX
$66K starting · COL 120
58 colleges
Dallas, TX
$57K starting · COL 104
82 colleges
Austin, TX
$59K starting · COL 107
30 colleges
Fort Worth, TX
$56K starting · COL 101
19 colleges
El Paso, TX
$51K starting · COL 93
38 colleges
Arlington, TX
$51K starting · COL 93.5
14 colleges
Corpus Christi, TX
$45K starting · COL 82
22 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Brownsville
Prompt Engineering
$42K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$79K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$71K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$73K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$68K starting · 3 yr ROI
Astrophysics
$71K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$42K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$66K starting · 3 yr ROI
Chemistry Degree in Brownsville — 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 Brownsville.