Chemistry Degree in Lakewood, CO — Salary & ROI 2026
Chemistry degree analysis for Lakewood, CO. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$58K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$90K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
5.1 yrs
in Lakewood
Cost of Living
105.8
index (100 = avg)
Chemistry in Lakewood, CO Overview
Lakewood, Colorado (pop. 155,984) has 6 colleges offering Chemistry programs. The local cost of living index of 105.8 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $1,395/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 Lakewood is approximately $58,190, growing to $89,930 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
6
Public Tuition
$12,200/yr
Private Tuition
$38,000/yr
Room & Board
$15,028/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$8,371/yr
Unemployment
2.9%
Graduation Rate
73%
Chemistry Salary in Lakewood (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Lakewood's cost of living index of 105.8 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Chemistry salary: $55,000 starting, $85,000 mid-career, $110,000 senior level.Lakewood adjustment factor: 1.06x based on the local cost of living index.
Chemistry ROI Calculator for Lakewood
Estimate your return on investment for a Chemistry degree using local Lakewood tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $12,200 | Private avg: $38,000
Lakewood avg aid: $8,371/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$108,912
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$21,160
vs HS diploma in Lakewood
ROI Payback Period
5.1 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Lakewood
$472,988
Lifetime earnings premium ($581,900) minus total education cost ($108,912)
Student Loan Payoff for Chemistry in Lakewood
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Lakewood for Chemistry
Lakewood State University
public
$11,245/yr
$44,980 total
University of Lakewood
public
$12,683/yr
$50,732 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Lakewood Community College
$5,959/yr
Top Employers for Chemistry in Lakewood
Lakewood offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Chemistry graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Lakewood Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Chemistry Job Titles
Chemistry in Nearby Colorado Cities
Denver, CO
$70K starting · COL 128
31 colleges
Colorado Springs, CO
$67K starting · COL 122
22 colleges
Aurora, CO
$61K starting · COL 111
28 colleges
Fort Collins, CO
$69K starting · COL 126
5 colleges
Thornton, CO
$56K starting · COL 102.5
6 colleges
Arvada, CO
$58K starting · COL 105.5
5 colleges
Westminster, CO
$57K starting · COL 103.8
5 colleges
Pueblo, CO
$67K starting · COL 122
13 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Lakewood
Prompt Engineering
$53K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$101K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$90K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$93K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$87K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$53K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$85K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$53K starting · 3 yr ROI
Chemistry Degree in Lakewood — 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 Lakewood.