Chemistry Degree in St. Petersburg, FL — Salary & ROI 2026
Chemistry degree analysis for St. Petersburg, FL. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$53K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$82K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
4.2 yrs
in St. Petersburg
Cost of Living
97
index (100 = avg)
Chemistry in St. Petersburg, FL Overview
St. Petersburg is one of Florida's top college towns, with 22 institutions and a student population of 17,306. Public tuition averages $10,405/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 St. Petersburg is approximately $53,350, growing to $82,450 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
22
Public Tuition
$10,405/yr
Private Tuition
$48,010/yr
Room & Board
$9,763/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$8,802/yr
Unemployment
4.4%
Graduation Rate
48%
Chemistry Salary in St. Petersburg (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for St. Petersburg's cost of living index of 97 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Chemistry salary: $55,000 starting, $85,000 mid-career, $110,000 senior level.St. Petersburg adjustment factor: 0.97x based on the local cost of living index.
Chemistry ROI Calculator for St. Petersburg
Estimate your return on investment for a Chemistry degree using local St. Petersburg tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $10,405 | Private avg: $48,010
St. Petersburg avg aid: $8,802/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$80,672
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$19,400
vs HS diploma in St. Petersburg
ROI Payback Period
4.2 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in St. Petersburg
$452,828
Lifetime earnings premium ($533,500) minus total education cost ($80,672)
Student Loan Payoff for Chemistry in St. Petersburg
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in St. Petersburg for Chemistry
Eckerd College
private
$48,010/yr
$192,040 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
St. Petersburg College
$3,120/yr
Top Employers for Chemistry in St. Petersburg
St. Petersburg offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Chemistry graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key St. Petersburg Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Chemistry Job Titles
Chemistry in Nearby Florida Cities
Jacksonville, FL
$64K starting · COL 117
35 colleges
Miami, FL
$54K starting · COL 98
12 colleges
Tampa, FL
$56K starting · COL 101
26 colleges
Orlando, FL
$53K starting · COL 96
16 colleges
Hialeah, FL
$43K starting · COL 78
22 colleges
Port St. Lucie, FL
$54K starting · COL 98.5
8 colleges
Tallahassee, FL
$49K starting · COL 89
11 colleges
Cape Coral, FL
$54K starting · COL 97.8
7 colleges
Other STEM Majors in St. Petersburg
Prompt Engineering
$49K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$92K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$82K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$85K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$80K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$49K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$78K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$49K starting · 3 yr ROI
Chemistry Degree in St. Petersburg — 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 St. Petersburg.