Chemistry Degree in Portland, OR — Salary & ROI 2026
Chemistry degree analysis for Portland, OR. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$62K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$95K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
4.9 yrs
in Portland
Cost of Living
112
index (100 = avg)
Chemistry in Portland, OR Overview
Portland is one of Oregon's top college towns, with 24 institutions and a student population of 19,612. Public tuition averages $9,585/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 Portland is approximately $61,600, growing to $95,200 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
24
Public Tuition
$9,585/yr
Private Tuition
$53,947/yr
Room & Board
$18,112/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$15,300/yr
Unemployment
5.1%
Graduation Rate
51%
Chemistry Salary in Portland (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Portland's cost of living index of 112 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Chemistry salary: $55,000 starting, $85,000 mid-career, $110,000 senior level.Portland adjustment factor: 1.12x based on the local cost of living index.
Chemistry ROI Calculator for Portland
Estimate your return on investment for a Chemistry degree using local Portland tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $9,585 | Private avg: $53,947
Portland avg aid: $15,300/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$110,788
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$22,400
vs HS diploma in Portland
ROI Payback Period
4.9 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Portland
$505,212
Lifetime earnings premium ($616,000) minus total education cost ($110,788)
Student Loan Payoff for Chemistry in Portland
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Portland for Chemistry
Portland State University
public
$9,585/yr
$38,340 total
University of Portland
private
$51,414/yr
$205,656 total
Lewis & Clark College
private
$56,480/yr
$225,920 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Portland Community College
$4,536/yr
Top Employers for Chemistry in Portland
Portland offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Chemistry graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Portland Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Chemistry Job Titles
Chemistry in Nearby Oregon Cities
Eugene, OR
$72K starting · COL 130
14 colleges
Salem, OR
$66K starting · COL 120
14 colleges
Gresham, OR
$61K starting · COL 110.2
5 colleges
Hillsboro, OR
$64K starting · COL 115.5
5 colleges
Bend, OR
$59K starting · COL 107
2 colleges
Beaverton, OR
$58K starting · COL 105.9
4 colleges
Medford, OR
$61K starting · COL 111
4 colleges
Springfield, OR
$66K starting · COL 120.3
3 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Portland
Prompt Engineering
$56K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$106K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$95K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$99K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$92K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$56K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$90K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$56K starting · 3 yr ROI
Chemistry Degree in Portland — 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 Portland.