Chemistry Degree in Upper Darby, PA — Salary & ROI 2026
Chemistry degree analysis for Upper Darby, PA. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$52K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$80K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
6.3 yrs
in Upper Darby
Cost of Living
94.5
index (100 = avg)
Chemistry in Upper Darby, PA Overview
While Upper Darby has a smaller college scene with 4 institutions, Chemistry students benefit from the close-knit academic community. Room and board averages $14,171/year, and the car-friendly layout shapes the student experience. 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 Upper Darby is approximately $51,975, growing to $80,325 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
4
Public Tuition
$15,500/yr
Private Tuition
$42,000/yr
Room & Board
$14,171/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$12,595/yr
Unemployment
4.5%
Graduation Rate
70%
Chemistry Salary in Upper Darby (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Upper Darby's cost of living index of 94.5 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Chemistry salary: $55,000 starting, $85,000 mid-career, $110,000 senior level.Upper Darby adjustment factor: 0.94x based on the local cost of living index.
Chemistry ROI Calculator for Upper Darby
Estimate your return on investment for a Chemistry degree using local Upper Darby tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $15,500 | Private avg: $42,000
Upper Darby avg aid: $12,595/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$118,684
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$18,900
vs HS diploma in Upper Darby
ROI Payback Period
6.3 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Upper Darby
$401,066
Lifetime earnings premium ($519,750) minus total education cost ($118,684)
Student Loan Payoff for Chemistry in Upper Darby
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Upper Darby for Chemistry
Upper Darby State University
public
$16,192/yr
$64,768 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Upper Darby Community College
$5,336/yr
Top Employers for Chemistry in Upper Darby
Upper Darby offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Chemistry graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Upper Darby Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Chemistry Job Titles
Chemistry in Nearby Pennsylvania Cities
Philadelphia, PA
$83K starting · COL 150
42 colleges
Pittsburgh, PA
$63K starting · COL 115
12 colleges
Allentown, PA
$62K starting · COL 113
5 colleges
Reading, PA
$65K starting · COL 118
3 colleges
Erie, PA
$66K starting · COL 120
4 colleges
Scranton, PA
$66K starting · COL 120
8 colleges
Bethlehem, PA
$69K starting · COL 125
7 colleges
Lower Merion, PA
$50K starting · COL 91.4
3 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Upper Darby
Prompt Engineering
$47K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$90K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$80K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$83K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$77K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$47K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$76K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$47K starting · 3 yr ROI
Chemistry Degree in Upper Darby — 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 Upper Darby.