Cosmetic Science Degree in Silver Spring, MD — Salary & ROI 2026
Cosmetic Science degree analysis for Silver Spring, MD. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$83K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$116K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
2.5 yrs
in Silver Spring
Cost of Living
122.5
index (100 = avg)
Cosmetic Science in Silver Spring, MD Overview
While Silver Spring has a smaller college scene with 4 institutions, Cosmetic Science students benefit from lower tuition costs. Room and board averages $14,215/year, and the car-friendly layout shapes the student experience. Cosmetic Science has seen growing enrollment nationally, reflecting rising employer demand for Formulation and Quality Control skills. The adjusted starting salary in Silver Spring is approximately $83,300.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
4
Public Tuition
$10,800/yr
Private Tuition
$42,000/yr
Room & Board
$14,215/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$10,816/yr
Unemployment
4.1%
Graduation Rate
75%
Cosmetic Science Salary in Silver Spring (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Silver Spring's cost of living index of 122.5 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Cosmetic Science salary: $68,000 starting, $95,000 mid-career, $125,000 senior level.Silver Spring adjustment factor: 1.23x based on the local cost of living index.
Cosmetic Science ROI Calculator for Silver Spring
Estimate your return on investment for a Cosmetic Science degree using local Silver Spring tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $10,800 | Private avg: $42,000
Silver Spring avg aid: $10,816/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$100,060
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$40,425
vs HS diploma in Silver Spring
ROI Payback Period
2.5 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Silver Spring
$-38,810
Lifetime earnings premium ($61,250) minus total education cost ($100,060)
Student Loan Payoff for Cosmetic Science in Silver Spring
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Silver Spring for Cosmetic Science
Silver Spring State University
public
$10,864/yr
$43,456 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Silver Spring Community College
$5,576/yr
Top Employers for Cosmetic Science in Silver Spring
Silver Spring offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Cosmetic Science graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Silver Spring Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Cosmetic Science Job Titles
Cosmetic Science in Nearby Maryland Cities
Baltimore, MD
$88K starting · COL 130
22 colleges
Columbia, MD
$86K starting · COL 127.2
4 colleges
Frederick, MD
$77K starting · COL 112.5
4 colleges
Waldorf, MD
$82K starting · COL 120.7
4 colleges
Ellicott City, MD
$78K starting · COL 114.2
3 colleges
Glen Burnie, MD
$74K starting · COL 108.8
3 colleges
Rockville, MD
$87K starting · COL 128.5
3 colleges
Bethesda, MD
$79K starting · COL 116.7
3 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Silver Spring
Prompt Engineering
$61K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$116K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$104K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$108K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$100K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$61K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$98K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$61K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cosmetic Science Degree in Silver Spring — 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 Cosmetic Science ROI in other cities, or explore other majors in Silver Spring.