Chemistry Degree in Gresham, OR — Salary & ROI 2026
Chemistry degree analysis for Gresham, OR. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$61K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$94K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
4.8 yrs
in Gresham
Cost of Living
110.2
index (100 = avg)
Chemistry in Gresham, OR Overview
While Gresham has a smaller college scene with 5 institutions, Chemistry students benefit from the close-knit academic community. Room and board averages $13,788/year, and the car-friendly layout shapes the student experience. 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 Gresham is approximately $60,610, growing to $93,670 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
5
Public Tuition
$12,400/yr
Private Tuition
$38,000/yr
Room & Board
$13,788/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$11,238/yr
Unemployment
3.9%
Graduation Rate
75%
Chemistry Salary in Gresham (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Gresham's cost of living index of 110.2 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Chemistry salary: $55,000 starting, $85,000 mid-career, $110,000 senior level.Gresham adjustment factor: 1.10x based on the local cost of living index.
Chemistry ROI Calculator for Gresham
Estimate your return on investment for a Chemistry degree using local Gresham tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $12,400 | Private avg: $38,000
Gresham avg aid: $11,238/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$104,752
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$22,040
vs HS diploma in Gresham
ROI Payback Period
4.8 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Gresham
$501,348
Lifetime earnings premium ($606,100) minus total education cost ($104,752)
Student Loan Payoff for Chemistry in Gresham
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Gresham for Chemistry
Gresham State University
public
$11,604/yr
$46,416 total
University of Gresham
public
$12,019/yr
$48,076 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Gresham Community College
$5,463/yr
Top Employers for Chemistry in Gresham
Gresham offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Chemistry graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Gresham Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Chemistry Job Titles
Chemistry in Nearby Oregon Cities
Portland, OR
$62K starting · COL 112
24 colleges
Eugene, OR
$72K starting · COL 130
14 colleges
Salem, OR
$66K starting · COL 120
14 colleges
Hillsboro, OR
$64K starting · COL 115.5
5 colleges
Bend, OR
$59K starting · COL 107
2 colleges
Beaverton, OR
$58K starting · COL 105.9
4 colleges
Medford, OR
$61K starting · COL 111
4 colleges
Springfield, OR
$66K starting · COL 120.3
3 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Gresham
Prompt Engineering
$55K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$105K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$94K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$97K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$90K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$55K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$88K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$55K starting · 3 yr ROI
Chemistry Degree in Gresham — 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 Gresham.