Chemistry Degree in Surprise, AZ — Salary & ROI 2026
Chemistry degree analysis for Surprise, AZ. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$55K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$85K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
5.1 yrs
in Surprise
Cost of Living
100.2
index (100 = avg)
Chemistry in Surprise, AZ Overview
Surprise, Arizona (pop. 143,148) has 6 colleges offering Chemistry programs. The local cost of living index of 100.2 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $1,095/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 Surprise is approximately $55,110, growing to $85,170 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
6
Public Tuition
$11,400/yr
Private Tuition
$24,000/yr
Room & Board
$14,357/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$13,568/yr
Unemployment
3.5%
Graduation Rate
49%
Chemistry Salary in Surprise (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Surprise's cost of living index of 100.2 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Chemistry salary: $55,000 starting, $85,000 mid-career, $110,000 senior level.Surprise adjustment factor: 1.00x based on the local cost of living index.
Chemistry ROI Calculator for Surprise
Estimate your return on investment for a Chemistry degree using local Surprise tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $11,400 | Private avg: $24,000
Surprise avg aid: $13,568/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$103,028
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$20,040
vs HS diploma in Surprise
ROI Payback Period
5.1 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Surprise
$448,072
Lifetime earnings premium ($551,100) minus total education cost ($103,028)
Student Loan Payoff for Chemistry in Surprise
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Surprise for Chemistry
Surprise State University
public
$12,369/yr
$49,476 total
University of Surprise
public
$12,295/yr
$49,180 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Surprise Community College
$5,065/yr
Top Employers for Chemistry in Surprise
Surprise offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Chemistry graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Surprise Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Chemistry Job Titles
Chemistry in Nearby Arizona Cities
Phoenix, AZ
$84K starting · COL 152
72 colleges
Tucson, AZ
$64K starting · COL 116
24 colleges
Mesa, AZ
$61K starting · COL 110
31 colleges
Chandler, AZ
$68K starting · COL 124
22 colleges
Gilbert, AZ
$65K starting · COL 119
26 colleges
Glendale, AZ
$58K starting · COL 105
16 colleges
Scottsdale, AZ
$69K starting · COL 126
16 colleges
Peoria, AZ
$57K starting · COL 103.8
7 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Surprise
Prompt Engineering
$50K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$95K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$85K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$88K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$82K starting · 3 yr ROI
Astrophysics
$85K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$50K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$80K starting · 3 yr ROI
Chemistry Degree in Surprise — 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 Surprise.