Chemistry Degree in Chula Vista, CA — Salary & ROI 2026
Chemistry degree analysis for Chula Vista, CA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$67K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$104K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
2.7 yrs
in Chula Vista
Cost of Living
122
index (100 = avg)
Chemistry in Chula Vista, CA Overview
Chula Vista is one of California's top college towns, with 25 institutions and a student population of 22,971. Public tuition averages $1,540/year here — well below the national average, making it a cost-effective choice. 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 Chula Vista is approximately $67,100, growing to $103,700 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
25
Public Tuition
$1,540/yr
Private Tuition
$46,515/yr
Room & Board
$14,719/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$11,403/yr
Unemployment
5.6%
Graduation Rate
65%
Chemistry Salary in Chula Vista (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Chula Vista's cost of living index of 122 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Chemistry salary: $55,000 starting, $85,000 mid-career, $110,000 senior level.Chula Vista adjustment factor: 1.22x based on the local cost of living index.
Chemistry ROI Calculator for Chula Vista
Estimate your return on investment for a Chemistry degree using local Chula Vista tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $1,540 | Private avg: $46,515
Chula Vista avg aid: $11,403/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$65,036
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$24,400
vs HS diploma in Chula Vista
ROI Payback Period
2.7 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Chula Vista
$605,964
Lifetime earnings premium ($671,000) minus total education cost ($65,036)
Student Loan Payoff for Chemistry in Chula Vista
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Chula Vista for Chemistry
Southwestern College
public
$1,540/yr
$6,160 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Southwestern College
$1,540/yr
Top Employers for Chemistry in Chula Vista
Chula Vista offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Chemistry graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Chula Vista 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 Chula Vista
Prompt Engineering
$61K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$116K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$104K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$107K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$100K starting · 3 yr ROI
Astrophysics
$104K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$61K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$98K starting · 3 yr ROI
Chemistry Degree in Chula Vista — 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 Chula Vista.