Chemistry Degree in Houston, TX — Salary & ROI 2026
Chemistry degree analysis for Houston, TX. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$63K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$98K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
4.1 yrs
in Houston
Cost of Living
115
index (100 = avg)
Chemistry in Houston, TX Overview
Houston is one of Texas's top college towns, with 90 institutions and a student population of 71,513. Public tuition averages $10,200/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 Houston is approximately $63,250, growing to $97,750 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
90
Public Tuition
$10,200/yr
Private Tuition
$56,280/yr
Room & Board
$13,520/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$13,081/yr
Unemployment
5.2%
Graduation Rate
72%
Chemistry Salary in Houston (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Houston's cost of living index of 115 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Chemistry salary: $55,000 starting, $85,000 mid-career, $110,000 senior level.Houston adjustment factor: 1.15x based on the local cost of living index.
Chemistry ROI Calculator for Houston
Estimate your return on investment for a Chemistry degree using local Houston tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $10,200 | Private avg: $56,280
Houston avg aid: $13,081/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$94,880
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$23,000
vs HS diploma in Houston
ROI Payback Period
4.1 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Houston
$537,620
Lifetime earnings premium ($632,500) minus total education cost ($94,880)
Student Loan Payoff for Chemistry in Houston
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Houston for Chemistry
University of Houston
public
$11,164/yr
$44,656 total
Rice University
private
$56,280/yr
$225,120 total
Texas Southern University
public
$9,236/yr
$36,944 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Houston Community College
$2,688/yr
Top Employers for Chemistry in Houston
Houston offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Chemistry graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Houston Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Chemistry Job Titles
Chemistry in Nearby Texas Cities
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
Plano, TX
$47K starting · COL 85
9 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Houston
Prompt Engineering
$58K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$109K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$98K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$101K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$94K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$58K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$92K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$58K starting · 3 yr ROI
Chemistry Degree in Houston — 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 Houston.