Chemistry Degree in Clarksville, TN — Salary & ROI 2026
Chemistry degree analysis for Clarksville, TN. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$50K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$77K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
5 yrs
in Clarksville
Cost of Living
90
index (100 = avg)
Chemistry in Clarksville, TN Overview
Clarksville, Tennessee (pop. 166,722) has 9 colleges offering Chemistry programs. The local cost of living index of 90 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $838/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 Clarksville is approximately $49,500, growing to $76,500 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
9
Public Tuition
$9,312/yr
Private Tuition
$28,321/yr
Room & Board
$13,192/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$12,661/yr
Unemployment
6.3%
Graduation Rate
66%
Chemistry Salary in Clarksville (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Clarksville's cost of living index of 90 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Chemistry salary: $55,000 starting, $85,000 mid-career, $110,000 senior level.Clarksville adjustment factor: 0.90x based on the local cost of living index.
Chemistry ROI Calculator for Clarksville
Estimate your return on investment for a Chemistry degree using local Clarksville tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $9,312 | Private avg: $28,321
Clarksville avg aid: $12,661/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$90,016
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$18,000
vs HS diploma in Clarksville
ROI Payback Period
5 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Clarksville
$404,984
Lifetime earnings premium ($495,000) minus total education cost ($90,016)
Student Loan Payoff for Chemistry in Clarksville
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Clarksville for Chemistry
Austin Peay State University
public
$9,312/yr
$37,248 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Nashville State Community College Clarksville
$4,320/yr
Top Employers for Chemistry in Clarksville
Clarksville offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Chemistry graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Clarksville Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Chemistry Job Titles
Chemistry in Nearby Tennessee Cities
Nashville, TN
$51K starting · COL 92
35 colleges
Memphis, TN
$51K starting · COL 93
22 colleges
Knoxville, TN
$47K starting · COL 85
5 colleges
Chattanooga, TN
$44K starting · COL 80
5 colleges
Murfreesboro, TN
$50K starting · COL 91
10 colleges
Franklin, TN
$65K starting · COL 118.5
4 colleges
Jackson, TN
$45K starting · COL 82.5
3 colleges
Johnson City, TN
$58K starting · COL 105
6 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Clarksville
Prompt Engineering
$45K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$86K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$77K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$79K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$74K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$45K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$72K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$45K starting · 3 yr ROI
Chemistry Degree in Clarksville — 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 Clarksville.