Chemistry Degree in Kansas City, KS — Salary & ROI 2026
Chemistry degree analysis for Kansas City, KS. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$45K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$70K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
5.6 yrs
in Kansas City
Cost of Living
82.5
index (100 = avg)
Chemistry in Kansas City, KS Overview
Kansas City, Kansas (pop. 156,607) has 6 colleges offering Chemistry programs. The local cost of living index of 82.5 keeps student expenses low, with average rent near campus at $405/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 Kansas City is approximately $45,375, growing to $70,125 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
6
Public Tuition
$10,000/yr
Private Tuition
$28,000/yr
Room & Board
$13,267/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$14,093/yr
Unemployment
2.9%
Graduation Rate
61%
Chemistry Salary in Kansas City (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Kansas City's cost of living index of 82.5 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Chemistry salary: $55,000 starting, $85,000 mid-career, $110,000 senior level.Kansas City adjustment factor: 0.82x based on the local cost of living index.
Chemistry ROI Calculator for Kansas City
Estimate your return on investment for a Chemistry degree using local Kansas City tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $10,000 | Private avg: $28,000
Kansas City avg aid: $14,093/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$93,068
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$16,500
vs HS diploma in Kansas City
ROI Payback Period
5.6 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Kansas City
$360,682
Lifetime earnings premium ($453,750) minus total education cost ($93,068)
Student Loan Payoff for Chemistry in Kansas City
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Kansas City for Chemistry
Kansas City State University
public
$9,282/yr
$37,128 total
University of Kansas City
public
$9,330/yr
$37,320 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Kansas City Community College
$5,644/yr
Top Employers for Chemistry in Kansas City
Kansas City offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Chemistry graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Kansas City Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Chemistry Job Titles
Chemistry in Nearby Kansas Cities
Wichita, KS
$57K starting · COL 104
20 colleges
Overland Park, KS
$57K starting · COL 103
13 colleges
Olathe, KS
$53K starting · COL 96.8
6 colleges
Topeka, KS
$46K starting · COL 84
14 colleges
Lawrence, KS
$59K starting · COL 108
5 colleges
Shawnee, KS
$48K starting · COL 86.5
3 colleges
Lenexa, KS
$53K starting · COL 96.2
3 colleges
Manhattan, KS
$52K starting · COL 95
6 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Kansas City
Prompt Engineering
$41K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$78K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$70K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$73K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$68K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$41K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$66K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$41K starting · 3 yr ROI
Chemistry Degree in Kansas City — 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 Kansas City.