Chemistry Degree in Columbus, OH — Salary & ROI 2026
Chemistry degree analysis for Columbus, OH. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$57K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$88K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
4.5 yrs
in Columbus
Cost of Living
103
index (100 = avg)
Chemistry in Columbus, OH Overview
Columbus is one of Ohio's top college towns, with 31 institutions and a student population of 31,081. Public tuition averages $11,936/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 Columbus is approximately $56,650, growing to $87,550 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
31
Public Tuition
$11,936/yr
Private Tuition
$25,555/yr
Room & Board
$11,227/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$15,971/yr
Unemployment
5%
Graduation Rate
59%
Chemistry Salary in Columbus (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Columbus's cost of living index of 103 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Chemistry salary: $55,000 starting, $85,000 mid-career, $110,000 senior level.Columbus adjustment factor: 1.03x based on the local cost of living index.
Chemistry ROI Calculator for Columbus
Estimate your return on investment for a Chemistry degree using local Columbus tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $11,936 | Private avg: $25,555
Columbus avg aid: $15,971/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$92,652
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$20,600
vs HS diploma in Columbus
ROI Payback Period
4.5 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Columbus
$473,848
Lifetime earnings premium ($566,500) minus total education cost ($92,652)
Student Loan Payoff for Chemistry in Columbus
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Columbus for Chemistry
Ohio State University
public
$11,936/yr
$47,744 total
Capital University
private
$39,426/yr
$157,704 total
Franklin University
private
$11,683/yr
$46,732 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Columbus State Community College
$5,016/yr
Top Employers for Chemistry in Columbus
Columbus offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Chemistry graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Columbus Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Chemistry Job Titles
Chemistry in Nearby Ohio Cities
Cleveland, OH
$53K starting · COL 96
20 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 Columbus
Prompt Engineering
$52K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$98K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$88K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$91K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$84K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$52K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$82K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$52K starting · 3 yr ROI
Chemistry Degree in Columbus — 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 Columbus.