Chemistry Degree in Tampa, FL — Salary & ROI 2026
Chemistry degree analysis for Tampa, FL. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$56K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$86K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
3 yrs
in Tampa
Cost of Living
101
index (100 = avg)
Chemistry in Tampa, FL Overview
Tampa is one of Florida's top college towns, with 26 institutions and a student population of 30,905. Public tuition averages $5,955/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 Tampa is approximately $55,550, growing to $85,850 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
26
Public Tuition
$5,955/yr
Private Tuition
$31,226/yr
Room & Board
$9,194/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$14,836/yr
Unemployment
6.8%
Graduation Rate
47%
Chemistry Salary in Tampa (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Tampa's cost of living index of 101 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Chemistry salary: $55,000 starting, $85,000 mid-career, $110,000 senior level.Tampa adjustment factor: 1.01x based on the local cost of living index.
Chemistry ROI Calculator for Tampa
Estimate your return on investment for a Chemistry degree using local Tampa tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $5,955 | Private avg: $31,226
Tampa avg aid: $14,836/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$60,596
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$20,200
vs HS diploma in Tampa
ROI Payback Period
3 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Tampa
$494,904
Lifetime earnings premium ($555,500) minus total education cost ($60,596)
Student Loan Payoff for Chemistry in Tampa
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Tampa for Chemistry
University of South Florida
public
$6,410/yr
$25,640 total
University of Tampa
private
$31,226/yr
$124,904 total
Tampa General Hospital
public
$5,500/yr
$22,000 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Hillsborough Community College
$3,120/yr
Top Employers for Chemistry in Tampa
Tampa offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Chemistry graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Tampa 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
Orlando, FL
$53K starting · COL 96
16 colleges
St. Petersburg, FL
$53K starting · COL 97
22 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 Tampa
Prompt Engineering
$51K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$96K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$86K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$89K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$83K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$51K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$81K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$51K starting · 3 yr ROI
Chemistry Degree in Tampa — 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 Tampa.