Chemistry Degree in Huntington Beach, CA — Salary & ROI 2026
Chemistry degree analysis for Huntington Beach, CA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$93K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$143K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
3.7 yrs
in Huntington Beach
Cost of Living
168.5
index (100 = avg)
Chemistry in Huntington Beach, CA Overview
Huntington Beach, California (pop. 198,711) has 8 colleges offering Chemistry programs. The local cost of living index of 168.5 is higher than average, so budget accordingly, with average rent near campus at $2,880/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 Huntington Beach is approximately $92,675, growing to $143,225 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
8
Public Tuition
$14,500/yr
Private Tuition
$42,000/yr
Room & Board
$17,049/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$8,141/yr
Unemployment
5.4%
Graduation Rate
73%
Chemistry Salary in Huntington Beach (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Huntington Beach's cost of living index of 168.5 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Chemistry salary: $55,000 starting, $85,000 mid-career, $110,000 senior level.Huntington Beach adjustment factor: 1.69x based on the local cost of living index.
Chemistry ROI Calculator for Huntington Beach
Estimate your return on investment for a Chemistry degree using local Huntington Beach tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $14,500 | Private avg: $42,000
Huntington Beach avg aid: $8,141/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$126,196
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$33,700
vs HS diploma in Huntington Beach
ROI Payback Period
3.7 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Huntington Beach
$800,554
Lifetime earnings premium ($926,750) minus total education cost ($126,196)
Student Loan Payoff for Chemistry in Huntington Beach
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Huntington Beach for Chemistry
Huntington Beach State University
public
$13,570/yr
$54,280 total
University of Huntington Beach
public
$16,348/yr
$65,392 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Huntington Beach Community College
$7,272/yr
Top Employers for Chemistry in Huntington Beach
Huntington Beach offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Chemistry graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Huntington Beach 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 Huntington Beach
Prompt Engineering
$84K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$160K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$143K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$148K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$138K starting · 3 yr ROI
Astrophysics
$143K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$84K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$135K starting · 3 yr ROI
Chemistry Degree in Huntington Beach — 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 Huntington Beach.