Chemistry Degree in Rockford, IL — Salary & ROI 2026
Chemistry degree analysis for Rockford, IL. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$50K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$77K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
4.1 yrs
in Rockford
Cost of Living
90
index (100 = avg)
Chemistry in Rockford, IL Overview
Rockford, Illinois (pop. 148,655) has 8 colleges offering Chemistry programs. The local cost of living index of 90 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $1,026/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 Rockford is approximately $49,500, growing to $76,500 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
8
Public Tuition
$9,764/yr
Private Tuition
$34,200/yr
Room & Board
$8,562/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$14,234/yr
Unemployment
5.9%
Graduation Rate
48%
Chemistry Salary in Rockford (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Rockford's cost of living index of 90 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Chemistry salary: $55,000 starting, $85,000 mid-career, $110,000 senior level.Rockford adjustment factor: 0.90x based on the local cost of living index.
Chemistry ROI Calculator for Rockford
Estimate your return on investment for a Chemistry degree using local Rockford tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $9,764 | Private avg: $34,200
Rockford avg aid: $14,234/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$73,304
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$18,000
vs HS diploma in Rockford
ROI Payback Period
4.1 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Rockford
$421,696
Lifetime earnings premium ($495,000) minus total education cost ($73,304)
Student Loan Payoff for Chemistry in Rockford
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Rockford for Chemistry
Rockford University
private
$34,200/yr
$136,800 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Rock Valley College
$4,980/yr
Top Employers for Chemistry in Rockford
Rockford offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Chemistry graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Rockford Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Chemistry Job Titles
Chemistry in Nearby Illinois Cities
Chicago, IL
$60K starting · COL 109
98 colleges
Aurora, IL
$51K starting · COL 92.8
7 colleges
Joliet, IL
$59K starting · COL 108
12 colleges
Naperville, IL
$56K starting · COL 102
13 colleges
Elgin, IL
$43K starting · COL 79
13 colleges
Springfield, IL
$51K starting · COL 92
9 colleges
Peoria, IL
$57K starting · COL 104
5 colleges
Waukegan, IL
$50K starting · COL 90.3
4 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Rockford
Prompt Engineering
$45K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$86K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$77K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$79K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$74K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$45K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$72K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$45K starting · 3 yr ROI
Chemistry Degree in Rockford — 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 Rockford.