Chemistry Degree in Cary, NC — Salary & ROI 2026
Chemistry degree analysis for Cary, NC. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$60K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$92K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
4.5 yrs
in Cary
Cost of Living
108.5
index (100 = avg)
Chemistry in Cary, NC Overview
Cary, North Carolina (pop. 174,721) has 7 colleges offering Chemistry programs. The local cost of living index of 108.5 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $1,335/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 Cary is approximately $59,675, growing to $92,225 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
7
Public Tuition
$9,200/yr
Private Tuition
$34,000/yr
Room & Board
$15,364/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$8,896/yr
Unemployment
4.1%
Graduation Rate
53%
Chemistry Salary in Cary (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Cary's cost of living index of 108.5 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Chemistry salary: $55,000 starting, $85,000 mid-career, $110,000 senior level.Cary adjustment factor: 1.08x based on the local cost of living index.
Chemistry ROI Calculator for Cary
Estimate your return on investment for a Chemistry degree using local Cary tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $9,200 | Private avg: $34,000
Cary avg aid: $8,896/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$98,256
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$21,700
vs HS diploma in Cary
ROI Payback Period
4.5 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Cary
$498,494
Lifetime earnings premium ($596,750) minus total education cost ($98,256)
Student Loan Payoff for Chemistry in Cary
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Cary for Chemistry
Cary State University
public
$8,460/yr
$33,840 total
University of Cary
public
$9,070/yr
$36,280 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Cary Community College
$5,719/yr
Top Employers for Chemistry in Cary
Cary offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Chemistry graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Cary Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Chemistry Job Titles
Chemistry in Nearby North Carolina Cities
Charlotte, NC
$49K starting · COL 89
39 colleges
Raleigh, NC
$46K starting · COL 83
21 colleges
Greensboro, NC
$50K starting · COL 91
17 colleges
Durham, NC
$60K starting · COL 109
25 colleges
Winston-Salem, NC
$58K starting · COL 106
26 colleges
Fayetteville, NC
$50K starting · COL 90
15 colleges
Wilmington, NC
$52K starting · COL 95
5 colleges
High Point, NC
$46K starting · COL 84.5
5 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Cary
Prompt Engineering
$54K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$103K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$92K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$95K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$89K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$54K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$87K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$54K starting · 3 yr ROI
Chemistry Degree in Cary — 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 Cary.