Chemistry Degree in Silver Spring, MD — Salary & ROI 2026
Chemistry degree analysis for Silver Spring, MD. 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
4.1 yrs
in Silver Spring
Cost of Living
122.5
index (100 = avg)
Chemistry in Silver Spring, MD Overview
While Silver Spring has a smaller college scene with 4 institutions, Chemistry students benefit from lower tuition costs. Room and board averages $14,215/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 Silver Spring is approximately $67,375, growing to $104,125 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
4
Public Tuition
$10,800/yr
Private Tuition
$42,000/yr
Room & Board
$14,215/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$10,816/yr
Unemployment
4.1%
Graduation Rate
75%
Chemistry Salary in Silver Spring (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Silver Spring'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.Silver Spring adjustment factor: 1.23x based on the local cost of living index.
Chemistry ROI Calculator for Silver Spring
Estimate your return on investment for a Chemistry degree using local Silver Spring tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $10,800 | Private avg: $42,000
Silver Spring avg aid: $10,816/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$100,060
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$24,500
vs HS diploma in Silver Spring
ROI Payback Period
4.1 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Silver Spring
$573,690
Lifetime earnings premium ($673,750) minus total education cost ($100,060)
Student Loan Payoff for Chemistry in Silver Spring
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Silver Spring for Chemistry
Silver Spring State University
public
$10,864/yr
$43,456 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Silver Spring Community College
$5,576/yr
Top Employers for Chemistry in Silver Spring
Silver Spring offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Chemistry graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Silver Spring Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Chemistry Job Titles
Chemistry in Nearby Maryland Cities
Baltimore, MD
$72K starting · COL 130
22 colleges
Columbia, MD
$70K starting · COL 127.2
4 colleges
Frederick, MD
$62K starting · COL 112.5
4 colleges
Waldorf, MD
$66K starting · COL 120.7
4 colleges
Ellicott City, MD
$63K starting · COL 114.2
3 colleges
Glen Burnie, MD
$60K starting · COL 108.8
3 colleges
Rockville, MD
$71K starting · COL 128.5
3 colleges
Bethesda, MD
$64K starting · COL 116.7
3 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Silver Spring
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 Silver Spring — 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 Silver Spring.