Chemistry Degree in Palmdale, CA — Salary & ROI 2026
Chemistry degree analysis for Palmdale, CA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$61K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$94K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
5.1 yrs
in Palmdale
Cost of Living
110.5
index (100 = avg)
Chemistry in Palmdale, CA Overview
Palmdale, California (pop. 169,450) has 7 colleges offering Chemistry programs. The local cost of living index of 110.5 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $1,185/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 Palmdale is approximately $60,775, growing to $93,925 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
7
Public Tuition
$14,500/yr
Private Tuition
$42,000/yr
Room & Board
$13,535/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$15,974/yr
Unemployment
5%
Graduation Rate
66%
Chemistry Salary in Palmdale (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Palmdale's cost of living index of 110.5 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Chemistry salary: $55,000 starting, $85,000 mid-career, $110,000 senior level.Palmdale adjustment factor: 1.10x based on the local cost of living index.
Chemistry ROI Calculator for Palmdale
Estimate your return on investment for a Chemistry degree using local Palmdale tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $14,500 | Private avg: $42,000
Palmdale avg aid: $15,974/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$112,140
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$22,100
vs HS diploma in Palmdale
ROI Payback Period
5.1 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Palmdale
$495,610
Lifetime earnings premium ($607,750) minus total education cost ($112,140)
Student Loan Payoff for Chemistry in Palmdale
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Palmdale for Chemistry
Palmdale State University
public
$15,273/yr
$61,092 total
University of Palmdale
public
$13,606/yr
$54,424 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Palmdale Community College
$5,290/yr
Top Employers for Chemistry in Palmdale
Palmdale offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Chemistry graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Palmdale Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Chemistry Job Titles
Chemistry in Nearby California Cities
Los Angeles, CA
$78K starting · COL 141
69 colleges
San Diego, CA
$77K starting · COL 140
68 colleges
San Jose, CA
$71K starting · COL 129
95 colleges
San Francisco, CA
$63K starting · COL 114
22 colleges
Fresno, CA
$65K starting · COL 118
37 colleges
Sacramento, CA
$62K starting · COL 112
38 colleges
Long Beach, CA
$64K starting · COL 116
14 colleges
Oakland, CA
$73K starting · COL 132
13 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Palmdale
Prompt Engineering
$55K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$105K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$94K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$97K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$91K starting · 3 yr ROI
Astrophysics
$94K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$55K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$88K starting · 3 yr ROI
Chemistry Degree in Palmdale — 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 Palmdale.