Chemistry Degree in Renton, WA — Salary & ROI 2026
Chemistry degree analysis for Renton, WA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$67K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$104K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
4.5 yrs
in Renton
Cost of Living
122.5
index (100 = avg)
Chemistry in Renton, WA Overview
While Renton has a smaller college scene with 5 institutions, Chemistry students benefit from lower tuition costs. Room and board averages $15,923/year, and the car-friendly layout shapes the student experience. 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 Renton is approximately $67,375, growing to $104,125 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
5
Public Tuition
$11,800/yr
Private Tuition
$40,000/yr
Room & Board
$15,923/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$15,424/yr
Unemployment
4.5%
Graduation Rate
64%
Chemistry Salary in Renton (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Renton's cost of living index of 122.5 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Chemistry salary: $55,000 starting, $85,000 mid-career, $110,000 senior level.Renton adjustment factor: 1.23x based on the local cost of living index.
Chemistry ROI Calculator for Renton
Estimate your return on investment for a Chemistry degree using local Renton tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $11,800 | Private avg: $40,000
Renton avg aid: $15,424/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$110,892
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$24,500
vs HS diploma in Renton
ROI Payback Period
4.5 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Renton
$562,858
Lifetime earnings premium ($673,750) minus total education cost ($110,892)
Student Loan Payoff for Chemistry in Renton
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Renton for Chemistry
Renton State University
public
$11,303/yr
$45,212 total
University of Renton
public
$13,258/yr
$53,032 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Renton Community College
$5,805/yr
Top Employers for Chemistry in Renton
Renton offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Chemistry graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Renton Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Chemistry Job Titles
Chemistry in Nearby Washington Cities
Seattle, WA
$66K starting · COL 120
16 colleges
Spokane, WA
$67K starting · COL 121
20 colleges
Tacoma, WA
$62K starting · COL 113
25 colleges
Vancouver, WA
$60K starting · COL 108.5
7 colleges
Bellevue, WA
$98K starting · COL 178.5
6 colleges
Kent, WA
$64K starting · COL 115.8
6 colleges
Everett, WA
$65K starting · COL 118.2
5 colleges
Spokane Valley, WA
$68K starting · COL 123.1
4 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Renton
Prompt Engineering
$61K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$116K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$104K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$108K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$100K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$61K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$98K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$61K starting · 3 yr ROI
Chemistry Degree in Renton — 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 Renton.