Chemistry Degree in Denver, CO — Salary & ROI 2026
Chemistry degree analysis for Denver, CO. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$70K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$109K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
4.1 yrs
in Denver
Cost of Living
128
index (100 = avg)
Chemistry in Denver, CO Overview
Denver is one of Colorado's top college towns, with 31 institutions and a student population of 74,098. Public tuition averages $11,380/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 Denver is approximately $70,400, growing to $108,800 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
31
Public Tuition
$11,380/yr
Private Tuition
$49,039/yr
Room & Board
$14,960/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$8,823/yr
Unemployment
5.8%
Graduation Rate
65%
Chemistry Salary in Denver (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Denver's cost of living index of 128 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Chemistry salary: $55,000 starting, $85,000 mid-career, $110,000 senior level.Denver adjustment factor: 1.28x based on the local cost of living index.
Chemistry ROI Calculator for Denver
Estimate your return on investment for a Chemistry degree using local Denver tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $11,380 | Private avg: $49,039
Denver avg aid: $8,823/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$105,360
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$25,600
vs HS diploma in Denver
ROI Payback Period
4.1 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Denver
$598,640
Lifetime earnings premium ($704,000) minus total education cost ($105,360)
Student Loan Payoff for Chemistry in Denver
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Denver for Chemistry
University of Colorado Denver
public
$11,380/yr
$45,520 total
University of Denver
private
$56,268/yr
$225,072 total
Regis University
private
$41,810/yr
$167,240 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Community College of Denver
$4,419/yr
Top Employers for Chemistry in Denver
Denver offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Chemistry graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Denver Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Chemistry Job Titles
Chemistry in Nearby Colorado Cities
Colorado Springs, CO
$67K starting · COL 122
22 colleges
Aurora, CO
$61K starting · COL 111
28 colleges
Fort Collins, CO
$69K starting · COL 126
5 colleges
Lakewood, CO
$58K starting · COL 105.8
6 colleges
Thornton, CO
$56K starting · COL 102.5
6 colleges
Arvada, CO
$58K starting · COL 105.5
5 colleges
Westminster, CO
$57K starting · COL 103.8
5 colleges
Pueblo, CO
$67K starting · COL 122
13 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Denver
Prompt Engineering
$64K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$122K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$109K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$113K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$105K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$64K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$102K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$64K starting · 3 yr ROI
Chemistry Degree in Denver — 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 Denver.