Chemistry Degree in South Bend, IN — Salary & ROI 2026
Chemistry degree analysis for South Bend, IN. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$49K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$76K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
4.7 yrs
in South Bend
Cost of Living
89
index (100 = avg)
Chemistry in South Bend, IN Overview
South Bend, Indiana (pop. 103,453) has 9 colleges offering Chemistry programs. The local cost of living index of 89 keeps student expenses low, with average rent near campus at $1,010/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 South Bend is approximately $48,950, growing to $75,650 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
9
Public Tuition
$9,463/yr
Private Tuition
$60,301/yr
Room & Board
$11,568/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$8,347/yr
Unemployment
5.2%
Graduation Rate
62%
Chemistry Salary in South Bend (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for South Bend's cost of living index of 89 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Chemistry salary: $55,000 starting, $85,000 mid-career, $110,000 senior level.South Bend adjustment factor: 0.89x based on the local cost of living index.
Chemistry ROI Calculator for South Bend
Estimate your return on investment for a Chemistry degree using local South Bend tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $9,463 | Private avg: $60,301
South Bend avg aid: $8,347/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$84,124
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$17,800
vs HS diploma in South Bend
ROI Payback Period
4.7 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in South Bend
$405,376
Lifetime earnings premium ($489,500) minus total education cost ($84,124)
Student Loan Payoff for Chemistry in South Bend
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in South Bend for Chemistry
University of Notre Dame
private
$60,301/yr
$241,204 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Ivy Tech Community College South Bend
$4,540/yr
Top Employers for Chemistry in South Bend
South Bend offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Chemistry graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key South Bend Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Chemistry Job Titles
Chemistry in Nearby Indiana Cities
Indianapolis, IN
$52K starting · COL 94
25 colleges
Fort Wayne, IN
$57K starting · COL 103
24 colleges
Evansville, IN
$47K starting · COL 86
10 colleges
Carmel, IN
$58K starting · COL 105.2
4 colleges
Fishers, IN
$55K starting · COL 100.5
4 colleges
Bloomington, IN
$46K starting · COL 83
5 colleges
Hammond, IN
$51K starting · COL 93.1
4 colleges
Lafayette, IN
$47K starting · COL 84.8
3 colleges
Other STEM Majors in South Bend
Prompt Engineering
$45K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$85K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$76K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$78K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$73K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$45K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$71K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$45K starting · 3 yr ROI
Chemistry Degree in South Bend — 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 South Bend.