Chemistry Degree in Fort Wayne, IN — Salary & ROI 2026
Chemistry degree analysis for Fort Wayne, IN. 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
4.1 yrs
in Fort Wayne
Cost of Living
103
index (100 = avg)
Chemistry in Fort Wayne, IN Overview
Fort Wayne is one of Indiana's top college towns, with 24 institutions and a student population of 17,119. Public tuition averages $8,380/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 Fort Wayne is approximately $56,650, growing to $87,550 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
24
Public Tuition
$8,380/yr
Private Tuition
$30,416/yr
Room & Board
$12,588/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$16,185/yr
Unemployment
5.7%
Graduation Rate
68%
Chemistry Salary in Fort Wayne (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Fort Wayne'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.Fort Wayne adjustment factor: 1.03x based on the local cost of living index.
Chemistry ROI Calculator for Fort Wayne
Estimate your return on investment for a Chemistry degree using local Fort Wayne tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $8,380 | Private avg: $30,416
Fort Wayne avg aid: $16,185/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$83,872
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$20,600
vs HS diploma in Fort Wayne
ROI Payback Period
4.1 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Fort Wayne
$482,628
Lifetime earnings premium ($566,500) minus total education cost ($83,872)
Student Loan Payoff for Chemistry in Fort Wayne
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Fort Wayne for Chemistry
Purdue University Fort Wayne
public
$8,380/yr
$33,520 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Ivy Tech Community College Fort Wayne
$4,540/yr
Top Employers for Chemistry in Fort Wayne
Fort Wayne offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Chemistry graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Fort Wayne Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Chemistry Job Titles
Chemistry in Nearby Indiana Cities
Indianapolis, IN
$52K starting · COL 94
25 colleges
Evansville, IN
$47K starting · COL 86
10 colleges
South Bend, IN
$49K starting · COL 89
9 colleges
Carmel, IN
$58K starting · COL 105.2
4 colleges
Fishers, IN
$55K starting · COL 100.5
4 colleges
Bloomington, IN
$46K starting · COL 83
5 colleges
Hammond, IN
$51K starting · COL 93.1
4 colleges
Lafayette, IN
$47K starting · COL 84.8
3 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Fort Wayne
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 Fort Wayne — 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 Fort Wayne.