Chemistry Degree in Tacoma, WA — Salary & ROI 2026
Chemistry degree analysis for Tacoma, WA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$62K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$96K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
4.3 yrs
in Tacoma
Cost of Living
113
index (100 = avg)
Chemistry in Tacoma, WA Overview
Tacoma is one of Washington's top college towns, with 25 institutions and a student population of 23,456. Public tuition averages $10,637/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 Tacoma is approximately $62,150, growing to $96,050 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
25
Public Tuition
$10,637/yr
Private Tuition
$52,153/yr
Room & Board
$13,707/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$8,864/yr
Unemployment
4.9%
Graduation Rate
60%
Chemistry Salary in Tacoma (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Tacoma's cost of living index of 113 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Chemistry salary: $55,000 starting, $85,000 mid-career, $110,000 senior level.Tacoma adjustment factor: 1.13x based on the local cost of living index.
Chemistry ROI Calculator for Tacoma
Estimate your return on investment for a Chemistry degree using local Tacoma tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $10,637 | Private avg: $52,153
Tacoma avg aid: $8,864/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$97,376
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$22,600
vs HS diploma in Tacoma
ROI Payback Period
4.3 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Tacoma
$524,124
Lifetime earnings premium ($621,500) minus total education cost ($97,376)
Student Loan Payoff for Chemistry in Tacoma
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Tacoma for Chemistry
University of Puget Sound
private
$56,156/yr
$224,624 total
Pacific Lutheran University
private
$48,150/yr
$192,600 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Tacoma Community College
$4,479/yr
Top Employers for Chemistry in Tacoma
Tacoma offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Chemistry graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Tacoma Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Chemistry Job Titles
Chemistry in Nearby Washington Cities
Seattle, WA
$66K starting · COL 120
16 colleges
Spokane, WA
$67K starting · COL 121
20 colleges
Vancouver, WA
$60K starting · COL 108.5
7 colleges
Bellevue, WA
$98K starting · COL 178.5
6 colleges
Kent, WA
$64K starting · COL 115.8
6 colleges
Everett, WA
$65K starting · COL 118.2
5 colleges
Renton, WA
$67K starting · COL 122.5
5 colleges
Spokane Valley, WA
$68K starting · COL 123.1
4 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Tacoma
Prompt Engineering
$57K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$107K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$96K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$99K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$93K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$57K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$90K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$57K starting · 3 yr ROI
Chemistry Degree in Tacoma — 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 Tacoma.