Chemistry Degree in Newport News, VA — Salary & ROI 2026
Chemistry degree analysis for Newport News, VA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$51K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$79K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
6.2 yrs
in Newport News
Cost of Living
92.5
index (100 = avg)
Chemistry in Newport News, VA Overview
Newport News, Virginia (pop. 186,247) has 7 colleges offering Chemistry programs. The local cost of living index of 92.5 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $705/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 Newport News is approximately $50,875, growing to $78,625 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
7
Public Tuition
$14,200/yr
Private Tuition
$38,000/yr
Room & Board
$14,491/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$9,779/yr
Unemployment
2.2%
Graduation Rate
51%
Chemistry Salary in Newport News (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Newport News's cost of living index of 92.5 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Chemistry salary: $55,000 starting, $85,000 mid-career, $110,000 senior level.Newport News adjustment factor: 0.93x based on the local cost of living index.
Chemistry ROI Calculator for Newport News
Estimate your return on investment for a Chemistry degree using local Newport News tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $14,200 | Private avg: $38,000
Newport News avg aid: $9,779/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$114,764
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$18,500
vs HS diploma in Newport News
ROI Payback Period
6.2 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Newport News
$393,986
Lifetime earnings premium ($508,750) minus total education cost ($114,764)
Student Loan Payoff for Chemistry in Newport News
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Newport News for Chemistry
Newport News State University
public
$13,266/yr
$53,064 total
University of Newport News
public
$15,083/yr
$60,332 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Newport News Community College
$5,242/yr
Top Employers for Chemistry in Newport News
Newport News offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Chemistry graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Newport News Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Chemistry Job Titles
Chemistry in Nearby Virginia Cities
Virginia Beach, VA
$48K starting · COL 88
13 colleges
Chesapeake, VA
$50K starting · COL 91
12 colleges
Arlington, VA
$78K starting · COL 142.5
9 colleges
Norfolk, VA
$51K starting · COL 93
16 colleges
Richmond, VA
$55K starting · COL 100
11 colleges
Alexandria, VA
$56K starting · COL 102
8 colleges
Hampton, VA
$53K starting · COL 97
7 colleges
Roanoke, VA
$49K starting · COL 88.5
4 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Newport News
Prompt Engineering
$46K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$88K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$79K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$81K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$76K 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 Newport News — 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 Newport News.