Cosmetic Science Degree in Wichita, KS — Salary & ROI 2026
Cosmetic Science degree analysis for Wichita, KS. COL-adjusted salary data, local tuition costs, ROI calculator, and job market outlook.
Starting Salary
$71K
COL-adjusted
Mid-Career
$99K
COL-adjusted
ROI Payback
2.5 yrs
in Wichita
Cost of Living
104
index (100 = avg)
Cosmetic Science in Wichita, KS Overview
Wichita, Kansas (pop. 397,532) has 20 colleges offering Cosmetic Science programs. The local cost of living index of 104 is near the national average, with average rent near campus at $837/month. Cosmetic Science has seen growing enrollment nationally, reflecting rising employer demand for Formulation and Quality Control skills. The adjusted starting salary in Wichita is approximately $70,720.
Category
STEM
Local Colleges
20
Public Tuition
$8,640/yr
Private Tuition
$43,408/yr
Room & Board
$12,817/yr
Avg Fin. Aid
$16,474/yr
Unemployment
5.4%
Graduation Rate
46%
Cosmetic Science Salary in Wichita (COL-Adjusted)
Salaries adjusted for Wichita's cost of living index of 104 (national average = 100).
Note: National average Cosmetic Science salary: $68,000 starting, $95,000 mid-career, $125,000 senior level.Wichita adjustment factor: 1.04x based on the local cost of living index.
Cosmetic Science ROI Calculator for Wichita
Estimate your return on investment for a Cosmetic Science degree using local Wichita tuition and cost of living data.
Public avg: $8,640 | Private avg: $43,408
Wichita avg aid: $16,474/yr
Federal avg: 6.5% | Private: 4-14%
Total Education Cost
$85,828
tuition + room & board - aid
Annual Earnings Premium
$34,320
vs HS diploma in Wichita
ROI Payback Period
2.5 years
to break even
Lifetime Return in Wichita
$-33,828
Lifetime earnings premium ($52,000) minus total education cost ($85,828)
Student Loan Payoff for Cosmetic Science in Wichita
Standard Plan (10 years)
Aggressive Plan (5 years)
Colleges in Wichita for Cosmetic Science
Wichita State University
public
$8,640/yr
$34,560 total
Community Colleges (2-Year Transfer)
Butler Community College
$3,564/yr
Top Employers for Cosmetic Science in Wichita
Wichita offers opportunities in Tech companies, Research labs, Government agencies for Cosmetic Science graduates. National top employers in this field include:
Key Wichita Hiring Sectors for STEM
Tech companies
Research labs
Government agencies
Startups
Consulting firms
Common Cosmetic Science Job Titles
Cosmetic Science in Nearby Kansas Cities
Overland Park, KS
$70K starting · COL 103
13 colleges
Kansas City, KS
$56K starting · COL 82.5
6 colleges
Olathe, KS
$66K starting · COL 96.8
6 colleges
Topeka, KS
$57K starting · COL 84
14 colleges
Lawrence, KS
$73K starting · COL 108
5 colleges
Shawnee, KS
$59K starting · COL 86.5
3 colleges
Lenexa, KS
$65K starting · COL 96.2
3 colleges
Manhattan, KS
$65K starting · COL 95
6 colleges
Other STEM Majors in Wichita
Prompt Engineering
$52K starting · 1.5 yr ROI
Computational Linguistics
$99K starting · 2 yr ROI
Computer Science
$88K starting · 2.8 yr ROI
Software Engineering
$92K starting · 2.7 yr ROI
Data Science
$85K starting · 3 yr ROI
Actuarial Science
$52K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cybersecurity
$83K starting · 3 yr ROI
Robotics Engineering
$52K starting · 3 yr ROI
Cosmetic Science Degree in Wichita — 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 Wichita.