Chemistry Degree in Raleigh, NC — Salary & ROI 2026
Chemistry degree analysis for Raleigh, NC. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$46K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$71K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
4.7 yrs
in Raleigh
Cost of Living
83
index (100 = avg)
Chemistry in Raleigh, NC Overview
Raleigh is one of North Carolina's top college towns, with 21 institutions and a student population of 113,809. Public tuition averages $9,101/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 Raleigh is approximately $45,650, growing to $70,550 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
21
Public Tuition
$9,101/yr
Private Tuition
$30,399/yr
Room & Board
$10,389/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$7,262/yr
Unemployment
3.4%
Graduation Rate
62%
Chemistry Salary in Raleigh (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Raleigh's cost of living index of 83 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Chemistry salary: $55,000 starting, $85,000 mid-career, $110,000 senior level.Raleigh adjustment factor: 0.83x based on the local cost of living index.
Chemistry ROI Calculator for Raleigh
Estimate your return on investment for a Chemistry degree using local Raleigh tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $9,101 | Private avg: $30,399
Raleigh avg aid: $7,262/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$77,960
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$16,600
vs HS diploma in Raleigh
ROI Payback Period
4.7 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Raleigh
$378,540
Lifetime earnings premium ($456,500) minus total education cost ($77,960)
Student Loan Payoff for Chemistry in Raleigh
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Raleigh for Chemistry
North Carolina State University
public
$9,101/yr
$36,404 total
Meredith College
private
$42,074/yr
$168,296 total
Shaw University
private
$18,724/yr
$74,896 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Wake Technical Community College
$2,864/yr
Top Employers for Chemistry in Raleigh
Raleigh offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Chemistry graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Raleigh Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Chemistry Job Titles
Chemistry in Nearby North Carolina Cities
Charlotte, NC
$49K starting · COL 89
39 colleges
Greensboro, NC
$50K starting · COL 91
17 colleges
Durham, NC
$60K starting · COL 109
25 colleges
Winston-Salem, NC
$58K starting · COL 106
26 colleges
Fayetteville, NC
$50K starting · COL 90
15 colleges
Cary, NC
$60K starting · COL 108.5
7 colleges
Wilmington, NC
$52K starting · COL 95
5 colleges
High Point, NC
$46K starting · COL 84.5
5 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Raleigh
Prompt Engineering
$42K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$79K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$71K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$73K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$68K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$42K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$66K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$42K starting · 3 yr ROI
Chemistry Degree in Raleigh — 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 Raleigh.