Chemistry Degree in Olathe, KS — Salary & ROI 2026
Chemistry degree analysis for Olathe, KS. 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
4.9 yrs
in Olathe
Cost of Living
96.8
index (100 = avg)
Chemistry in Olathe, KS Overview
Olathe, Kansas (pop. 141,290) has 6 colleges offering Chemistry programs. The local cost of living index of 96.8 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $975/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 Olathe is approximately $53,240, growing to $82,280 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
6
Public Tuition
$10,000/yr
Private Tuition
$28,000/yr
Room & Board
$13,602/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$14,861/yr
Unemployment
2.2%
Graduation Rate
74%
Chemistry Salary in Olathe (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Olathe's cost of living index of 96.8 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Chemistry salary: $55,000 starting, $85,000 mid-career, $110,000 senior level.Olathe adjustment factor: 0.97x based on the local cost of living index.
Chemistry ROI Calculator for Olathe
Estimate your return on investment for a Chemistry degree using local Olathe tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $10,000 | Private avg: $28,000
Olathe avg aid: $14,861/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$94,408
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$19,360
vs HS diploma in Olathe
ROI Payback Period
4.9 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Olathe
$437,992
Lifetime earnings premium ($532,400) minus total education cost ($94,408)
Student Loan Payoff for Chemistry in Olathe
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Olathe for Chemistry
Olathe State University
public
$10,248/yr
$40,992 total
University of Olathe
public
$10,626/yr
$42,504 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Olathe Community College
$5,283/yr
Top Employers for Chemistry in Olathe
Olathe offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Chemistry graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Olathe Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Chemistry Job Titles
Chemistry in Nearby Kansas Cities
Wichita, KS
$57K starting · COL 104
20 colleges
Overland Park, KS
$57K starting · COL 103
13 colleges
Kansas City, KS
$45K starting · COL 82.5
6 colleges
Topeka, KS
$46K starting · COL 84
14 colleges
Lawrence, KS
$59K starting · COL 108
5 colleges
Shawnee, KS
$48K starting · COL 86.5
3 colleges
Lenexa, KS
$53K starting · COL 96.2
3 colleges
Manhattan, KS
$52K starting · COL 95
6 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Olathe
Prompt Engineering
$48K 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
$79K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$48K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$77K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$48K starting · 3 yr ROI
Chemistry Degree in Olathe — 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 Olathe.