Chemistry Degree in Rochester, NY — Salary & ROI 2026
Chemistry degree analysis for Rochester, NY. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$77K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$119K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
5 yrs
in Rochester
Cost of Living
140
index (100 = avg)
Chemistry in Rochester, NY Overview
Rochester, New York (pop. 211,328) has 13 colleges offering Chemistry programs. The local cost of living index of 140 is higher than average, so budget accordingly, with average rent near campus at $1,592/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 Rochester is approximately $77,000, growing to $119,000 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
13
Public Tuition
$13,886/yr
Private Tuition
$56,653/yr
Room & Board
$21,356/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$10,325/yr
Unemployment
5.8%
Graduation Rate
46%
Chemistry Salary in Rochester (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Rochester's cost of living index of 140 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Chemistry salary: $55,000 starting, $85,000 mid-career, $110,000 senior level.Rochester adjustment factor: 1.40x based on the local cost of living index.
Chemistry ROI Calculator for Rochester
Estimate your return on investment for a Chemistry degree using local Rochester tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $13,886 | Private avg: $56,653
Rochester avg aid: $10,325/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$140,968
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$28,000
vs HS diploma in Rochester
ROI Payback Period
5 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Rochester
$629,032
Lifetime earnings premium ($770,000) minus total education cost ($140,968)
Student Loan Payoff for Chemistry in Rochester
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Rochester for Chemistry
University of Rochester
private
$60,550/yr
$242,200 total
Rochester Institute of Technology
private
$52,756/yr
$211,024 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Monroe Community College
$5,504/yr
Top Employers for Chemistry in Rochester
Rochester offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Chemistry graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Rochester Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Chemistry Job Titles
Chemistry in Nearby New York Cities
New York City, NY
$91K starting · COL 166
49 colleges
New York, NY
$103K starting · COL 187.2
279 colleges
Oyster Bay, NY
$80K starting · COL 145
11 colleges
Buffalo, NY
$67K starting · COL 122
10 colleges
North Hempstead, NY
$78K starting · COL 141.3
9 colleges
Babylon, NY
$84K starting · COL 152.3
8 colleges
Yonkers, NY
$80K starting · COL 145.3
8 colleges
Huntington, NY
$75K starting · COL 135.6
8 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Rochester
Prompt Engineering
$70K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$133K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$119K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$123K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$115K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$70K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$112K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$70K starting · 3 yr ROI
Chemistry Degree in Rochester — 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 Rochester.