Chemistry Degree in Cleveland, OH — Salary & ROI 2026
Chemistry degree analysis for Cleveland, OH. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$53K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$82K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
4.5 yrs
in Cleveland
Cost of Living
96
index (100 = avg)
Chemistry in Cleveland, OH Overview
Cleveland, Ohio (pop. 372,624) has 20 colleges offering Chemistry programs. The local cost of living index of 96 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $1,156/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 Cleveland is approximately $52,800, growing to $81,600 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
20
Public Tuition
$11,270/yr
Private Tuition
$49,395/yr
Room & Board
$10,394/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$7,310/yr
Unemployment
6%
Graduation Rate
69%
Chemistry Salary in Cleveland (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Cleveland's cost of living index of 96 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Chemistry salary: $55,000 starting, $85,000 mid-career, $110,000 senior level.Cleveland adjustment factor: 0.96x based on the local cost of living index.
Chemistry ROI Calculator for Cleveland
Estimate your return on investment for a Chemistry degree using local Cleveland tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $11,270 | Private avg: $49,395
Cleveland avg aid: $7,310/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$86,656
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$19,200
vs HS diploma in Cleveland
ROI Payback Period
4.5 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Cleveland
$441,344
Lifetime earnings premium ($528,000) minus total education cost ($86,656)
Student Loan Payoff for Chemistry in Cleveland
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Cleveland for Chemistry
Case Western Reserve University
private
$56,480/yr
$225,920 total
Cleveland State University
public
$11,270/yr
$45,080 total
John Carroll University
private
$42,310/yr
$169,240 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Cuyahoga Community College
$4,344/yr
Top Employers for Chemistry in Cleveland
Cleveland offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Chemistry graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Cleveland Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Chemistry Job Titles
Chemistry in Nearby Ohio Cities
Columbus, OH
$57K starting · COL 103
31 colleges
Cincinnati, OH
$56K starting · COL 102
28 colleges
Toledo, OH
$59K starting · COL 108
16 colleges
Akron, OH
$58K starting · COL 105
5 colleges
Dayton, OH
$57K starting · COL 104
9 colleges
Parma, OH
$50K starting · COL 90
4 colleges
Canton, OH
$46K starting · COL 84
4 colleges
Lorain, OH
$47K starting · COL 85.2
3 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Cleveland
Prompt Engineering
$48K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$91K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$82K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$84K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$79K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$48K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$77K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$48K starting · 3 yr ROI
Chemistry Degree in Cleveland — 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 Cleveland.