Chemistry Degree in Jacksonville, FL — Salary & ROI 2026
Chemistry degree analysis for Jacksonville, FL. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$64K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$99K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
2.8 yrs
in Jacksonville
Cost of Living
117
index (100 = avg)
Chemistry in Jacksonville, FL Overview
Jacksonville is one of Florida's top college towns, with 35 institutions and a student population of 36,092. Public tuition averages $6,394/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 Jacksonville is approximately $64,350, growing to $99,450 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
35
Public Tuition
$6,394/yr
Private Tuition
$26,965/yr
Room & Board
$10,215/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$14,539/yr
Unemployment
4.5%
Graduation Rate
71%
Chemistry Salary in Jacksonville (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Jacksonville's cost of living index of 117 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Chemistry salary: $55,000 starting, $85,000 mid-career, $110,000 senior level.Jacksonville adjustment factor: 1.17x based on the local cost of living index.
Chemistry ROI Calculator for Jacksonville
Estimate your return on investment for a Chemistry degree using local Jacksonville tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $6,394 | Private avg: $26,965
Jacksonville avg aid: $14,539/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$66,436
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$23,400
vs HS diploma in Jacksonville
ROI Payback Period
2.8 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Jacksonville
$577,064
Lifetime earnings premium ($643,500) minus total education cost ($66,436)
Student Loan Payoff for Chemistry in Jacksonville
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Jacksonville for Chemistry
University of North Florida
public
$6,394/yr
$25,576 total
Jacksonville University
private
$39,280/yr
$157,120 total
Edward Waters University
private
$14,650/yr
$58,600 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Florida State College at Jacksonville
$3,100/yr
Top Employers for Chemistry in Jacksonville
Jacksonville offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Chemistry graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Jacksonville Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Chemistry Job Titles
Chemistry in Nearby Florida Cities
Miami, FL
$54K starting · COL 98
12 colleges
Tampa, FL
$56K starting · COL 101
26 colleges
Orlando, FL
$53K starting · COL 96
16 colleges
St. Petersburg, FL
$53K starting · COL 97
22 colleges
Hialeah, FL
$43K starting · COL 78
22 colleges
Port St. Lucie, FL
$54K starting · COL 98.5
8 colleges
Tallahassee, FL
$49K starting · COL 89
11 colleges
Cape Coral, FL
$54K starting · COL 97.8
7 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Jacksonville
Prompt Engineering
$59K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$111K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$99K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$103K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$96K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$59K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$94K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$59K starting · 3 yr ROI
Chemistry Degree in Jacksonville — 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 Jacksonville.