Chemistry Degree in Sacramento, CA — Salary & ROI 2026
Chemistry degree analysis for Sacramento, CA. 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 Sacramento
Cost of Living
112
index (100 = avg)
Chemistry in Sacramento, CA Overview
Sacramento is one of California's top college towns, with 38 institutions and a student population of 18,535. Public tuition averages $7,488/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 Sacramento is approximately $61,600, growing to $95,200 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
38
Public Tuition
$7,488/yr
Private Tuition
$44,382/yr
Room & Board
$19,962/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$16,517/yr
Unemployment
3.6%
Graduation Rate
55%
Chemistry Salary in Sacramento (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Sacramento'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.Sacramento adjustment factor: 1.12x based on the local cost of living index.
Chemistry ROI Calculator for Sacramento
Estimate your return on investment for a Chemistry degree using local Sacramento tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $7,488 | Private avg: $44,382
Sacramento avg aid: $16,517/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$109,800
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$22,400
vs HS diploma in Sacramento
ROI Payback Period
4.9 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Sacramento
$506,200
Lifetime earnings premium ($616,000) minus total education cost ($109,800)
Student Loan Payoff for Chemistry in Sacramento
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Sacramento for Chemistry
Sacramento State University
public
$7,488/yr
$29,952 total
University of the Pacific
private
$52,584/yr
$210,336 total
William Jessup University
private
$36,180/yr
$144,720 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Sacramento City College
$1,540/yr
Top Employers for Chemistry in Sacramento
Sacramento offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Chemistry graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Sacramento Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Chemistry Job Titles
Chemistry in Nearby California Cities
Los Angeles, CA
$78K starting · COL 141
69 colleges
San Diego, CA
$77K starting · COL 140
68 colleges
San Jose, CA
$71K starting · COL 129
95 colleges
San Francisco, CA
$63K starting · COL 114
22 colleges
Fresno, CA
$65K starting · COL 118
37 colleges
Long Beach, CA
$64K starting · COL 116
14 colleges
Oakland, CA
$73K starting · COL 132
13 colleges
Bakersfield, CA
$74K starting · COL 134
18 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Sacramento
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 Sacramento — 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 Sacramento.