Chemistry Degree in Grand Prairie, TX — Salary & ROI 2026
Chemistry degree analysis for Grand Prairie, TX. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$52K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$80K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
5.1 yrs
in Grand Prairie
Cost of Living
93.8
index (100 = avg)
Chemistry in Grand Prairie, TX Overview
Grand Prairie, Texas (pop. 196,100) has 8 colleges offering Chemistry programs. The local cost of living index of 93.8 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $795/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 Grand Prairie is approximately $51,590, growing to $79,730 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
8
Public Tuition
$10,900/yr
Private Tuition
$36,000/yr
Room & Board
$12,959/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$15,206/yr
Unemployment
4.3%
Graduation Rate
69%
Chemistry Salary in Grand Prairie (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Grand Prairie's cost of living index of 93.8 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Chemistry salary: $55,000 starting, $85,000 mid-career, $110,000 senior level.Grand Prairie adjustment factor: 0.94x based on the local cost of living index.
Chemistry ROI Calculator for Grand Prairie
Estimate your return on investment for a Chemistry degree using local Grand Prairie tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $10,900 | Private avg: $36,000
Grand Prairie avg aid: $15,206/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$95,436
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$18,760
vs HS diploma in Grand Prairie
ROI Payback Period
5.1 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Grand Prairie
$420,464
Lifetime earnings premium ($515,900) minus total education cost ($95,436)
Student Loan Payoff for Chemistry in Grand Prairie
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Grand Prairie for Chemistry
Grand Prairie State University
public
$10,712/yr
$42,848 total
University of Grand Prairie
public
$9,448/yr
$37,792 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Grand Prairie Community College
$5,844/yr
Top Employers for Chemistry in Grand Prairie
Grand Prairie offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Chemistry graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Grand Prairie Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Chemistry Job Titles
Chemistry in Nearby Texas Cities
Houston, TX
$63K starting · COL 115
90 colleges
San Antonio, TX
$66K starting · COL 120
58 colleges
Dallas, TX
$57K starting · COL 104
82 colleges
Austin, TX
$59K starting · COL 107
30 colleges
Fort Worth, TX
$56K starting · COL 101
19 colleges
El Paso, TX
$51K starting · COL 93
38 colleges
Arlington, TX
$51K starting · COL 93.5
14 colleges
Corpus Christi, TX
$45K starting · COL 82
22 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Grand Prairie
Prompt Engineering
$47K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$89K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$80K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$83K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$77K starting · 3 yr ROI
Astrophysics
$80K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$47K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$75K starting · 3 yr ROI
Chemistry Degree in Grand Prairie — 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 Grand Prairie.