Chemistry Degree in Lee's Summit, MO — Salary & ROI 2026
Chemistry degree analysis for Lee's Summit, MO. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$53K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$81K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
5.1 yrs
in Lee's Summit
Cost of Living
95.5
index (100 = avg)
Chemistry in Lee's Summit, MO Overview
While Lee's Summit has a smaller college scene with 4 institutions, Chemistry students benefit from lower tuition costs. Room and board averages $14,180/year, and the car-friendly layout shapes the student experience. 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 Lee's Summit is approximately $52,525, growing to $81,175 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
4
Public Tuition
$10,200/yr
Private Tuition
$30,000/yr
Room & Board
$14,180/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$8,461/yr
Unemployment
2.8%
Graduation Rate
45%
Chemistry Salary in Lee's Summit (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Lee's Summit's cost of living index of 95.5 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Chemistry salary: $55,000 starting, $85,000 mid-career, $110,000 senior level.Lee's Summit adjustment factor: 0.95x based on the local cost of living index.
Chemistry ROI Calculator for Lee's Summit
Estimate your return on investment for a Chemistry degree using local Lee's Summit tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $10,200 | Private avg: $30,000
Lee's Summit avg aid: $8,461/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$97,520
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$19,100
vs HS diploma in Lee's Summit
ROI Payback Period
5.1 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Lee's Summit
$427,730
Lifetime earnings premium ($525,250) minus total education cost ($97,520)
Student Loan Payoff for Chemistry in Lee's Summit
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Lee's Summit for Chemistry
Lee's Summit State University
public
$9,311/yr
$37,244 total
University of Lee's Summit
public
$11,299/yr
$45,196 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Lee's Summit Community College
$5,472/yr
Top Employers for Chemistry in Lee's Summit
Lee's Summit offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Chemistry graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Lee's Summit Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Chemistry Job Titles
Chemistry in Nearby Missouri Cities
Kansas City, MO
$52K starting · COL 94
44 colleges
St. Louis, MO
$53K starting · COL 97
23 colleges
Springfield, MO
$44K starting · COL 80
5 colleges
Columbia, MO
$46K starting · COL 84
10 colleges
Independence, MO
$47K starting · COL 85.8
5 colleges
OFallon, MO
$48K starting · COL 87.3
4 colleges
St. Joseph, MO
$50K starting · COL 90.4
3 colleges
St. Charles, MO
$46K starting · COL 83.4
3 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Lee's Summit
Prompt Engineering
$48K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$91K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$81K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$84K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$78K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$48K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$76K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$48K starting · 3 yr ROI
Chemistry Degree in Lee's Summit — 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 Lee's Summit.