Chemistry Degree in San Bernardino, CA — Salary & ROI 2026
Chemistry degree analysis for San Bernardino, CA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$57K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$88K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
3.9 yrs
in San Bernardino
Cost of Living
104
index (100 = avg)
Chemistry in San Bernardino, CA Overview
San Bernardino is one of California's top college towns, with 22 institutions and a student population of 21,939. Public tuition averages $7,316/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 San Bernardino is approximately $57,200, growing to $88,400 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
22
Public Tuition
$7,316/yr
Private Tuition
$48,781/yr
Room & Board
$13,152/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$15,226/yr
Unemployment
6.1%
Graduation Rate
63%
Chemistry Salary in San Bernardino (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for San Bernardino's cost of living index of 104 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Chemistry salary: $55,000 starting, $85,000 mid-career, $110,000 senior level.San Bernardino adjustment factor: 1.04x based on the local cost of living index.
Chemistry ROI Calculator for San Bernardino
Estimate your return on investment for a Chemistry degree using local San Bernardino tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $7,316 | Private avg: $48,781
San Bernardino avg aid: $15,226/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$81,872
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$20,800
vs HS diploma in San Bernardino
ROI Payback Period
3.9 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in San Bernardino
$490,128
Lifetime earnings premium ($572,000) minus total education cost ($81,872)
Student Loan Payoff for Chemistry in San Bernardino
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in San Bernardino for Chemistry
California State University, San Bernardino
public
$7,316/yr
$29,264 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
San Bernardino Valley College
$1,540/yr
Top Employers for Chemistry in San Bernardino
San Bernardino offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Chemistry graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key San Bernardino 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
Sacramento, CA
$62K starting · COL 112
38 colleges
Long Beach, CA
$64K starting · COL 116
14 colleges
Oakland, CA
$73K starting · COL 132
13 colleges
Other STEM Majors in San Bernardino
Prompt Engineering
$52K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$99K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$88K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$92K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$85K starting · 3 yr ROI
Astrophysics
$88K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$52K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$83K starting · 3 yr ROI
Chemistry Degree in San Bernardino — 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 San Bernardino.