Chemistry Degree in Oklahoma City, OK — Salary & ROI 2026
Chemistry degree analysis for Oklahoma City, OK. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$53K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$82K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
4.3 yrs
in Oklahoma City
Cost of Living
97
index (100 = avg)
Chemistry in Oklahoma City, OK Overview
Oklahoma City is one of Oklahoma's top college towns, with 37 institutions and a student population of 35,923. Public tuition averages $7,756/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 Oklahoma City is approximately $53,350, growing to $82,450 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
37
Public Tuition
$7,756/yr
Private Tuition
$31,115/yr
Room & Board
$13,112/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$12,650/yr
Unemployment
4.7%
Graduation Rate
65%
Chemistry Salary in Oklahoma City (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Oklahoma City's cost of living index of 97 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Chemistry salary: $55,000 starting, $85,000 mid-career, $110,000 senior level.Oklahoma City adjustment factor: 0.97x based on the local cost of living index.
Chemistry ROI Calculator for Oklahoma City
Estimate your return on investment for a Chemistry degree using local Oklahoma City tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $7,756 | Private avg: $31,115
Oklahoma City avg aid: $12,650/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$83,472
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$19,400
vs HS diploma in Oklahoma City
ROI Payback Period
4.3 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Oklahoma City
$450,028
Lifetime earnings premium ($533,500) minus total education cost ($83,472)
Student Loan Payoff for Chemistry in Oklahoma City
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Oklahoma City for Chemistry
University of Central Oklahoma
public
$7,756/yr
$31,024 total
Oklahoma City University
private
$35,200/yr
$140,800 total
Oklahoma Christian University
private
$27,030/yr
$108,120 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Oklahoma City Community College
$3,870/yr
Top Employers for Chemistry in Oklahoma City
Oklahoma City offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Chemistry graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Oklahoma City Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Chemistry Job Titles
Chemistry in Nearby Oklahoma Cities
Tulsa, OK
$46K starting · COL 84
15 colleges
Norman, OK
$47K starting · COL 86
10 colleges
Broken Arrow, OK
$50K starting · COL 91.8
5 colleges
Edmond, OK
$52K starting · COL 95.2
4 colleges
Lawton, OK
$45K starting · COL 82.5
4 colleges
Moore, OK
$49K starting · COL 89.3
3 colleges
Midwest City, OK
$50K starting · COL 91.1
3 colleges
Stillwater, OK
$48K starting · COL 87.3
3 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Oklahoma City
Prompt Engineering
$49K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$92K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$82K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$85K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$80K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$49K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$78K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$49K starting · 3 yr ROI
Chemistry Degree in Oklahoma City — 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 Oklahoma City.