Chemistry Degree in Kent, WA — Salary & ROI 2026
Chemistry degree analysis for Kent, WA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$64K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$98K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
4.5 yrs
in Kent
Cost of Living
115.8
index (100 = avg)
Chemistry in Kent, WA Overview
Kent, Washington (pop. 136,588) has 6 colleges offering Chemistry programs. The local cost of living index of 115.8 is higher than average, so budget accordingly, with average rent near campus at $1,440/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 Kent is approximately $63,690, growing to $98,430 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
6
Public Tuition
$11,800/yr
Private Tuition
$40,000/yr
Room & Board
$14,433/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$12,467/yr
Unemployment
3.6%
Graduation Rate
47%
Chemistry Salary in Kent (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Kent's cost of living index of 115.8 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Chemistry salary: $55,000 starting, $85,000 mid-career, $110,000 senior level.Kent adjustment factor: 1.16x based on the local cost of living index.
Chemistry ROI Calculator for Kent
Estimate your return on investment for a Chemistry degree using local Kent tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $11,800 | Private avg: $40,000
Kent avg aid: $12,467/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$104,932
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$23,160
vs HS diploma in Kent
ROI Payback Period
4.5 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Kent
$531,968
Lifetime earnings premium ($636,900) minus total education cost ($104,932)
Student Loan Payoff for Chemistry in Kent
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Kent for Chemistry
Kent State University
public
$12,886/yr
$51,544 total
University of Kent
public
$10,829/yr
$43,316 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Kent Community College
$5,759/yr
Top Employers for Chemistry in Kent
Kent offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Chemistry graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Kent Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Chemistry Job Titles
Chemistry in Nearby Washington Cities
Seattle, WA
$66K starting · COL 120
16 colleges
Spokane, WA
$67K starting · COL 121
20 colleges
Tacoma, WA
$62K starting · COL 113
25 colleges
Vancouver, WA
$60K starting · COL 108.5
7 colleges
Bellevue, WA
$98K starting · COL 178.5
6 colleges
Everett, WA
$65K starting · COL 118.2
5 colleges
Renton, WA
$67K starting · COL 122.5
5 colleges
Spokane Valley, WA
$68K starting · COL 123.1
4 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Kent
Prompt Engineering
$58K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$110K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$98K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$102K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$95K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$58K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$93K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$58K starting · 3 yr ROI
Chemistry Degree in Kent — 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 Kent.