Chemistry Degree in Lake Charles, LA — Salary & ROI 2026
Chemistry degree analysis for Lake Charles, LA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$44K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$68K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
5.8 yrs
in Lake Charles
Cost of Living
80
index (100 = avg)
Chemistry in Lake Charles, LA Overview
Lake Charles, Louisiana (pop. 84,872) has 6 colleges offering Chemistry programs. The local cost of living index of 80 keeps student expenses low, with average rent near campus at $925/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 Lake Charles is approximately $44,000, growing to $68,000 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
6
Public Tuition
$9,274/yr
Private Tuition
$41,023/yr
Room & Board
$14,078/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$16,078/yr
Unemployment
3.3%
Graduation Rate
56%
Chemistry Salary in Lake Charles (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Lake Charles's cost of living index of 80 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Chemistry salary: $55,000 starting, $85,000 mid-career, $110,000 senior level.Lake Charles adjustment factor: 0.80x based on the local cost of living index.
Chemistry ROI Calculator for Lake Charles
Estimate your return on investment for a Chemistry degree using local Lake Charles tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $9,274 | Private avg: $41,023
Lake Charles avg aid: $16,078/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$93,408
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$16,000
vs HS diploma in Lake Charles
ROI Payback Period
5.8 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Lake Charles
$346,592
Lifetime earnings premium ($440,000) minus total education cost ($93,408)
Student Loan Payoff for Chemistry in Lake Charles
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Lake Charles for Chemistry
McNeese State University
public
$9,274/yr
$37,096 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Sowela Technical Community College
$4,236/yr
Top Employers for Chemistry in Lake Charles
Lake Charles offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Chemistry graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Lake Charles Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Chemistry Job Titles
Chemistry in Nearby Louisiana Cities
New Orleans, LA
$50K starting · COL 90
23 colleges
Baton Rouge, LA
$45K starting · COL 82
16 colleges
Shreveport, LA
$54K starting · COL 99
14 colleges
Metairie, LA
$49K starting · COL 89.4
6 colleges
Lafayette, LA
$57K starting · COL 104
5 colleges
Bossier City, LA
$48K starting · COL 87.8
3 colleges
Kenner, LA
$51K starting · COL 92.5
3 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Lake Charles
Prompt Engineering
$40K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$76K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$68K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$70K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$66K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$40K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$64K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$40K starting · 3 yr ROI
Chemistry Degree in Lake Charles — 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 Lake Charles.