Chemistry Degree in Little Rock, AR — Salary & ROI 2026
Chemistry degree analysis for Little Rock, AR. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$47K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$72K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
5.5 yrs
in Little Rock
Cost of Living
85
index (100 = avg)
Chemistry in Little Rock, AR Overview
Little Rock is one of Arkansas's top college towns, with 24 institutions and a student population of 18,659. Public tuition averages $9,312/year here — well below the national average, making it a cost-effective choice. 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 Little Rock is approximately $46,750, growing to $72,250 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
24
Public Tuition
$9,312/yr
Private Tuition
$13,320/yr
Room & Board
$13,863/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$15,402/yr
Unemployment
4.6%
Graduation Rate
49%
Chemistry Salary in Little Rock (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Little Rock's cost of living index of 85 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Chemistry salary: $55,000 starting, $85,000 mid-career, $110,000 senior level.Little Rock adjustment factor: 0.85x based on the local cost of living index.
Chemistry ROI Calculator for Little Rock
Estimate your return on investment for a Chemistry degree using local Little Rock tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $9,312 | Private avg: $13,320
Little Rock avg aid: $15,402/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$92,700
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$17,000
vs HS diploma in Little Rock
ROI Payback Period
5.5 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Little Rock
$374,800
Lifetime earnings premium ($467,500) minus total education cost ($92,700)
Student Loan Payoff for Chemistry in Little Rock
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Little Rock for Chemistry
University of Arkansas at Little Rock
public
$9,312/yr
$37,248 total
Philander Smith University
private
$13,320/yr
$53,280 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Pulaski Technical College
$3,800/yr
Top Employers for Chemistry in Little Rock
Little Rock offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Chemistry graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Little Rock Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Chemistry Job Titles
Chemistry in Nearby Arkansas Cities
Fayetteville, AR
$49K starting · COL 89
4 colleges
Fort Smith, AR
$43K starting · COL 78.5
4 colleges
Springdale, AR
$47K starting · COL 85.8
4 colleges
Jonesboro, AR
$45K starting · COL 82.5
4 colleges
Rogers, AR
$49K starting · COL 88.2
3 colleges
Conway, AR
$46K starting · COL 84.5
3 colleges
North Little Rock, AR
$48K starting · COL 86.6
3 colleges
Bentonville, AR
$51K starting · COL 92.5
3 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Little Rock
Prompt Engineering
$43K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$81K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$72K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$75K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$70K starting · 3 yr ROI
Astrophysics
$72K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$43K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$68K starting · 3 yr ROI
Chemistry Degree in Little Rock — 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 Little Rock.