Chemistry Degree in Lubbock, TX — Salary & ROI 2026
Chemistry degree analysis for Lubbock, TX. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$45K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$70K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
5.9 yrs
in Lubbock
Cost of Living
82
index (100 = avg)
Chemistry in Lubbock, TX Overview
Lubbock is one of Texas's top college towns, with 26 institutions and a student population of 104,491. Public tuition averages $11,380/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 Lubbock is approximately $45,100, growing to $69,700 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
26
Public Tuition
$11,380/yr
Private Tuition
$26,460/yr
Room & Board
$12,797/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$15,179/yr
Unemployment
5.5%
Graduation Rate
72%
Chemistry Salary in Lubbock (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Lubbock's cost of living index of 82 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Chemistry salary: $55,000 starting, $85,000 mid-career, $110,000 senior level.Lubbock adjustment factor: 0.82x based on the local cost of living index.
Chemistry ROI Calculator for Lubbock
Estimate your return on investment for a Chemistry degree using local Lubbock tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $11,380 | Private avg: $26,460
Lubbock avg aid: $15,179/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$96,708
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$16,400
vs HS diploma in Lubbock
ROI Payback Period
5.9 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Lubbock
$354,292
Lifetime earnings premium ($451,000) minus total education cost ($96,708)
Student Loan Payoff for Chemistry in Lubbock
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Lubbock for Chemistry
Texas Tech University
public
$11,380/yr
$45,520 total
Lubbock Christian University
private
$26,460/yr
$105,840 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
South Plains College Lubbock Center
$2,604/yr
Top Employers for Chemistry in Lubbock
Lubbock offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Chemistry graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Lubbock Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Chemistry Job Titles
Chemistry in Nearby Texas Cities
Houston, TX
$63K starting · COL 115
90 colleges
San Antonio, TX
$66K starting · COL 120
58 colleges
Dallas, TX
$57K starting · COL 104
82 colleges
Austin, TX
$59K starting · COL 107
30 colleges
Fort Worth, TX
$56K starting · COL 101
19 colleges
El Paso, TX
$51K starting · COL 93
38 colleges
Arlington, TX
$51K starting · COL 93.5
14 colleges
Corpus Christi, TX
$45K starting · COL 82
22 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Lubbock
Prompt Engineering
$41K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$78K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$70K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$72K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$67K starting · 3 yr ROI
Astrophysics
$70K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$41K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$66K starting · 3 yr ROI
Chemistry Degree in Lubbock — 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 Lubbock.