Chemistry Degree in Nashville, TN — Salary & ROI 2026
Chemistry degree analysis for Nashville, TN. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$51K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$78K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
4.9 yrs
in Nashville
Cost of Living
92
index (100 = avg)
Chemistry in Nashville, TN Overview
Nashville is one of Tennessee's top college towns, with 35 institutions and a student population of 23,290. 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 Nashville is approximately $50,600, growing to $78,200 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
35
Public Tuition
$9,312/yr
Private Tuition
$50,624/yr
Room & Board
$13,344/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$7,603/yr
Unemployment
6.8%
Graduation Rate
74%
Chemistry Salary in Nashville (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Nashville's cost of living index of 92 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Chemistry salary: $55,000 starting, $85,000 mid-career, $110,000 senior level.Nashville adjustment factor: 0.92x based on the local cost of living index.
Chemistry ROI Calculator for Nashville
Estimate your return on investment for a Chemistry degree using local Nashville tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $9,312 | Private avg: $50,624
Nashville avg aid: $7,603/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$90,624
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$18,400
vs HS diploma in Nashville
ROI Payback Period
4.9 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Nashville
$415,376
Lifetime earnings premium ($506,000) minus total education cost ($90,624)
Student Loan Payoff for Chemistry in Nashville
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Nashville for Chemistry
Vanderbilt University
private
$60,348/yr
$241,392 total
Belmont University
private
$40,900/yr
$163,600 total
Tennessee State University
public
$9,312/yr
$37,248 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Nashville State Community College
$4,320/yr
Top Employers for Chemistry in Nashville
Nashville offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Chemistry graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Nashville Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Chemistry Job Titles
Chemistry in Nearby Tennessee Cities
Memphis, TN
$51K starting · COL 93
22 colleges
Knoxville, TN
$47K starting · COL 85
5 colleges
Chattanooga, TN
$44K starting · COL 80
5 colleges
Clarksville, TN
$50K starting · COL 90
9 colleges
Murfreesboro, TN
$50K starting · COL 91
10 colleges
Franklin, TN
$65K starting · COL 118.5
4 colleges
Jackson, TN
$45K starting · COL 82.5
3 colleges
Johnson City, TN
$58K starting · COL 105
6 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Nashville
Prompt Engineering
$46K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$87K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$78K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$81K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$75K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$46K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$74K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$46K starting · 3 yr ROI
Chemistry Degree in Nashville — 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 Nashville.