Chemistry Degree in Fremont, CA — Salary & ROI 2026
Chemistry degree analysis for Fremont, CA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$58K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$89K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
3.7 yrs
in Fremont
Cost of Living
105
index (100 = avg)
Chemistry in Fremont, CA Overview
Fremont is one of California's top college towns, with 24 institutions and a student population of 9,210. Public tuition averages $1,540/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 Fremont is approximately $57,750, growing to $89,250 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
24
Public Tuition
$1,540/yr
Private Tuition
$60,373/yr
Room & Board
$17,934/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$13,692/yr
Unemployment
3.7%
Graduation Rate
56%
Chemistry Salary in Fremont (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Fremont's cost of living index of 105 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Chemistry salary: $55,000 starting, $85,000 mid-career, $110,000 senior level.Fremont adjustment factor: 1.05x based on the local cost of living index.
Chemistry ROI Calculator for Fremont
Estimate your return on investment for a Chemistry degree using local Fremont tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $1,540 | Private avg: $60,373
Fremont avg aid: $13,692/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$77,896
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$21,000
vs HS diploma in Fremont
ROI Payback Period
3.7 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Fremont
$499,604
Lifetime earnings premium ($577,500) minus total education cost ($77,896)
Student Loan Payoff for Chemistry in Fremont
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Fremont for Chemistry
Ohlone College
public
$1,540/yr
$6,160 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Ohlone College
$1,540/yr
Top Employers for Chemistry in Fremont
Fremont offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Chemistry graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Fremont 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 Fremont
Prompt Engineering
$53K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$100K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$89K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$92K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$86K starting · 3 yr ROI
Astrophysics
$89K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$53K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$84K starting · 3 yr ROI
Chemistry Degree in Fremont — 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 Fremont.