Chemistry Degree in Waukegan, IL — Salary & ROI 2026
Chemistry degree analysis for Waukegan, IL. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$50K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$77K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
6.4 yrs
in Waukegan
Cost of Living
90.3
index (100 = avg)
Chemistry in Waukegan, IL Overview
While Waukegan has a smaller college scene with 4 institutions, Chemistry students benefit from the close-knit academic community. Room and board averages $13,641/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 Waukegan is approximately $49,665, growing to $76,755 by mid-career.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
4
Public Tuition
$15,400/yr
Private Tuition
$38,000/yr
Room & Board
$13,641/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$13,734/yr
Unemployment
5.1%
Graduation Rate
74%
Chemistry Salary in Waukegan (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Waukegan's cost of living index of 90.3 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Chemistry salary: $55,000 starting, $85,000 mid-career, $110,000 senior level.Waukegan adjustment factor: 0.90x based on the local cost of living index.
Chemistry ROI Calculator for Waukegan
Estimate your return on investment for a Chemistry degree using local Waukegan tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $15,400 | Private avg: $38,000
Waukegan avg aid: $13,734/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$116,164
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$18,060
vs HS diploma in Waukegan
ROI Payback Period
6.4 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Waukegan
$380,486
Lifetime earnings premium ($496,650) minus total education cost ($116,164)
Student Loan Payoff for Chemistry in Waukegan
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Waukegan for Chemistry
Waukegan State University
public
$15,619/yr
$62,476 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Waukegan Community College
$4,848/yr
Top Employers for Chemistry in Waukegan
Waukegan offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Chemistry graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Waukegan Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Chemistry Job Titles
Chemistry in Nearby Illinois Cities
Chicago, IL
$60K starting · COL 109
98 colleges
Aurora, IL
$51K starting · COL 92.8
7 colleges
Joliet, IL
$59K starting · COL 108
12 colleges
Naperville, IL
$56K starting · COL 102
13 colleges
Rockford, IL
$50K starting · COL 90
8 colleges
Elgin, IL
$43K starting · COL 79
13 colleges
Springfield, IL
$51K starting · COL 92
9 colleges
Peoria, IL
$57K starting · COL 104
5 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Waukegan
Prompt Engineering
$45K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$86K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$77K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$79K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$74K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$45K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$72K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$45K starting · 3 yr ROI
Chemistry Degree in Waukegan — 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 Waukegan.