Chemistry Degree in Durham, NC — Salary & ROI 2026
Chemistry degree analysis for Durham, NC. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$60K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$93K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
3.8 yrs
in Durham
Cost of Living
109
index (100 = avg)
Chemistry in Durham, NC Overview
Durham is one of North Carolina's top college towns, with 25 institutions and a student population of 56,021. Public tuition averages $6,477/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 Durham is approximately $59,950, growing to $92,650 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
25
Public Tuition
$6,477/yr
Private Tuition
$62,688/yr
Room & Board
$14,101/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$13,850/yr
Unemployment
5.9%
Graduation Rate
54%
Chemistry Salary in Durham (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Durham's cost of living index of 109 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Chemistry salary: $55,000 starting, $85,000 mid-career, $110,000 senior level.Durham adjustment factor: 1.09x based on the local cost of living index.
Chemistry ROI Calculator for Durham
Estimate your return on investment for a Chemistry degree using local Durham tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $6,477 | Private avg: $62,688
Durham avg aid: $13,850/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$82,312
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$21,800
vs HS diploma in Durham
ROI Payback Period
3.8 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Durham
$517,188
Lifetime earnings premium ($599,500) minus total education cost ($82,312)
Student Loan Payoff for Chemistry in Durham
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Durham for Chemistry
Duke University
private
$62,688/yr
$250,752 total
North Carolina Central University
public
$6,477/yr
$25,908 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Durham Technical Community College
$2,864/yr
Top Employers for Chemistry in Durham
Durham offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Chemistry graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Durham Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Chemistry Job Titles
Chemistry in Nearby North Carolina Cities
Charlotte, NC
$49K starting · COL 89
39 colleges
Raleigh, NC
$46K starting · COL 83
21 colleges
Greensboro, NC
$50K starting · COL 91
17 colleges
Winston-Salem, NC
$58K starting · COL 106
26 colleges
Fayetteville, NC
$50K starting · COL 90
15 colleges
Cary, NC
$60K starting · COL 108.5
7 colleges
Wilmington, NC
$52K starting · COL 95
5 colleges
High Point, NC
$46K starting · COL 84.5
5 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Durham
Prompt Engineering
$55K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$104K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$93K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$96K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$89K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$55K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$87K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$55K starting · 3 yr ROI
Chemistry Degree in Durham — 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 Durham.