Chemistry Degree in Corona, CA — Salary & ROI 2026
Chemistry degree analysis for Corona, CA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$69K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$106K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
4.7 yrs
in Corona
Cost of Living
124.8
index (100 = avg)
Chemistry in Corona, CA Overview
Corona, California (pop. 157,136) has 6 colleges offering Chemistry programs. The local cost of living index of 124.8 is higher than average, so budget accordingly, with average rent near campus at $1,680/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 Corona is approximately $68,640, growing to $106,080 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
6
Public Tuition
$14,500/yr
Private Tuition
$42,000/yr
Room & Board
$14,989/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$14,438/yr
Unemployment
4.6%
Graduation Rate
46%
Chemistry Salary in Corona (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Corona's cost of living index of 124.8 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Chemistry salary: $55,000 starting, $85,000 mid-career, $110,000 senior level.Corona adjustment factor: 1.25x based on the local cost of living index.
Chemistry ROI Calculator for Corona
Estimate your return on investment for a Chemistry degree using local Corona tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $14,500 | Private avg: $42,000
Corona avg aid: $14,438/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$117,956
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$24,960
vs HS diploma in Corona
ROI Payback Period
4.7 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Corona
$568,444
Lifetime earnings premium ($686,400) minus total education cost ($117,956)
Student Loan Payoff for Chemistry in Corona
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Corona for Chemistry
Corona State University
public
$13,268/yr
$53,072 total
University of Corona
public
$15,457/yr
$61,828 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Corona Community College
$6,467/yr
Top Employers for Chemistry in Corona
Corona offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Chemistry graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Corona 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 Corona
Prompt Engineering
$62K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$119K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$106K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$110K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$102K starting · 3 yr ROI
Astrophysics
$106K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$62K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$100K starting · 3 yr ROI
Chemistry Degree in Corona — 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 Corona.