Chemistry Degree in Thornton, CO — Salary & ROI 2026
Chemistry degree analysis for Thornton, CO. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$56K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$87K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
5.2 yrs
in Thornton
Cost of Living
102.5
index (100 = avg)
Chemistry in Thornton, CO Overview
Thornton, Colorado (pop. 141,867) has 6 colleges offering Chemistry programs. The local cost of living index of 102.5 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $1,335/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 Thornton is approximately $56,375, growing to $87,125 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
6
Public Tuition
$12,200/yr
Private Tuition
$38,000/yr
Room & Board
$14,219/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$8,102/yr
Unemployment
2.9%
Graduation Rate
67%
Chemistry Salary in Thornton (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Thornton's cost of living index of 102.5 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Chemistry salary: $55,000 starting, $85,000 mid-career, $110,000 senior level.Thornton adjustment factor: 1.02x based on the local cost of living index.
Chemistry ROI Calculator for Thornton
Estimate your return on investment for a Chemistry degree using local Thornton tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $12,200 | Private avg: $38,000
Thornton avg aid: $8,102/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$105,676
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$20,500
vs HS diploma in Thornton
ROI Payback Period
5.2 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Thornton
$458,074
Lifetime earnings premium ($563,750) minus total education cost ($105,676)
Student Loan Payoff for Chemistry in Thornton
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Thornton for Chemistry
Thornton State University
public
$11,406/yr
$45,624 total
University of Thornton
public
$12,917/yr
$51,668 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Thornton Community College
$5,632/yr
Top Employers for Chemistry in Thornton
Thornton offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Chemistry graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Thornton Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Chemistry Job Titles
Chemistry in Nearby Colorado Cities
Denver, CO
$70K starting · COL 128
31 colleges
Colorado Springs, CO
$67K starting · COL 122
22 colleges
Aurora, CO
$61K starting · COL 111
28 colleges
Fort Collins, CO
$69K starting · COL 126
5 colleges
Lakewood, CO
$58K starting · COL 105.8
6 colleges
Arvada, CO
$58K starting · COL 105.5
5 colleges
Westminster, CO
$57K starting · COL 103.8
5 colleges
Pueblo, CO
$67K starting · COL 122
13 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Thornton
Prompt Engineering
$51K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$97K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$87K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$90K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$84K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$51K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$82K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$51K starting · 3 yr ROI
Chemistry Degree in Thornton — 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 Thornton.