Chemistry Degree in Garden Grove, CA — Salary & ROI 2026
Chemistry degree analysis for Garden Grove, CA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$83K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$128K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
4.2 yrs
in Garden Grove
Cost of Living
150.3
index (100 = avg)
Chemistry in Garden Grove, CA Overview
Garden Grove, California (pop. 172,646) has 7 colleges offering Chemistry programs. The local cost of living index of 150.3 is higher than average, so budget accordingly, with average rent near campus at $2,160/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 Garden Grove is approximately $82,665, growing to $127,755 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
7
Public Tuition
$14,500/yr
Private Tuition
$42,000/yr
Room & Board
$17,153/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$9,754/yr
Unemployment
5.3%
Graduation Rate
66%
Chemistry Salary in Garden Grove (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Garden Grove's cost of living index of 150.3 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Chemistry salary: $55,000 starting, $85,000 mid-career, $110,000 senior level.Garden Grove adjustment factor: 1.50x based on the local cost of living index.
Chemistry ROI Calculator for Garden Grove
Estimate your return on investment for a Chemistry degree using local Garden Grove tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $14,500 | Private avg: $42,000
Garden Grove avg aid: $9,754/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$126,612
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$30,060
vs HS diploma in Garden Grove
ROI Payback Period
4.2 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Garden Grove
$700,038
Lifetime earnings premium ($826,650) minus total education cost ($126,612)
Student Loan Payoff for Chemistry in Garden Grove
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Garden Grove for Chemistry
Garden Grove State University
public
$13,746/yr
$54,984 total
University of Garden Grove
public
$14,677/yr
$58,708 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Garden Grove Community College
$6,550/yr
Top Employers for Chemistry in Garden Grove
Garden Grove offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Chemistry graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Garden Grove 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 Garden Grove
Prompt Engineering
$75K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$143K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$128K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$132K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$123K starting · 3 yr ROI
Astrophysics
$128K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$75K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$120K starting · 3 yr ROI
Chemistry Degree in Garden Grove — 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 Garden Grove.