19 Series · SOC 19-2031
Chemists Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $91,240
- Median / year
- $160,830
- Top 10% earn
- +4.9%
- Growth '23–'33
- 82,770
- US workers
Chemists earn a median of $91,240 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $91,240, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $58,460 (10th percentile) to $160,830 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 82,770 US workers. District of Columbia pays the most ($149,860), since pay varies by state and metro area.
The pay verdict
Chemists earn a median of $91,240, putting them among the better-paid US occupations and higher than 78% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Life, Physical, and Social Science, it ranks #22 of 48 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 4.9% by 2033.
- $91,240
- Median annual wage
- Top 22%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #22 of 48
- in Life, Physical, and Social Science
- 2.8×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: District of Columbia at $149,860. Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
Chemists (SOC 19-2031) pays a national median of $91,240 per year according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey released in May 2025. Full-range compensation stretches from $58,460 at the 10th percentile to $160,830 at the 90th, with a mean of $100,450 indicating a right-skew where top earners pull the average above the midpoint. An estimated 82,770 Americans work in this occupation across 52 reporting states and 264 metro areas.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +4.9% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which the agency classifies as about average relative to the 5% all-occupations baseline. About 6,300 openings are projected per year, combining new positions with replacement needs from retirements and occupation-switchers. Typical entry-level preparation is Bachelor's degree. The BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) and Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII) produce a workplace-safety grade of A for this role, with a fatality rate of 1.5 per 100,000 and injury rate of 0.7 per 100.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. District of Columbia pays the highest state median at $149,860, which is +64% above the national figure. The top metro is Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV at $144,680 - metro premiums typically reflect higher cost of living, industry concentration, or specialized employer demand. When using this page for negotiation or career planning, pair the national median with the state and metro rows below, remember that BLS wages exclude benefits, bonuses, and overtime, and revisit after each May OEWS release since percentiles shift with cost-of-living cycles and industry demand. See our methodology for exactly how these figures are sourced, computed, and verified.
Median Salary
$91,240
per year
Median Hourly
$43.87/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$100,450
average
Employment
82,770
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Chemists pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$91,240 Top 22% higher than 78% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 19-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Chemists; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Among 24 19-series occupations with growth data, Chemists sits on the slower-growing side at +4.9% growth and $91,240 median pay.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+4.9%
About average
Annual Openings
6,300
per year (projected)
Typical Education
Bachelor's degree
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Very Safe
Safety Grade (BLS 2023)
Fatality Rate
1.5/100K
Injury Rate
0.7/100
Danger Index
3.6/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Chemists roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Develop, improve, or customize products, equipment, formulas, processes, or analytical methods.
- ▸ Analyze organic or inorganic compounds to determine chemical or physical properties, composition, structure, relationships, or reactions, using chromatography, spectroscopy, or spectrophotometry techniques.
- ▸ Induce changes in composition of substances by introducing heat, light, energy, or chemical catalysts for quantitative or qualitative analysis.
- ▸ Conduct quality control tests.
- ▸ Write technical papers or reports or prepare standards and specifications for processes, facilities, products, or tests.
- ▸ Maintain laboratory instruments to ensure proper working order and troubleshoot malfunctions when needed.
- ▸ Prepare test solutions, compounds, or reagents for laboratory personnel to conduct tests.
- ▸ Compile and analyze test information to determine process or equipment operating efficiency or to diagnose malfunctions.
- ▸ Confer with scientists or engineers to conduct analyses of research projects, interpret test results, or develop nonstandard tests.
- ▸ Evaluate laboratory safety procedures to ensure compliance with standards or to make improvements as needed.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
10th Percentile
$58,460
25th Percentile
$69,460
Median
$91,240
75th Percentile
$125,550
90th Percentile
$160,830
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
Lowest Paying States
View all 52 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $149,860 | +64% above national |
| 2 | Maryland | $140,670 | +54% above national |
| 3 | Delaware | $129,860 | +42% above national |
| 4 | New Mexico | $126,960 | +39% above national |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $125,000 | +37% above national |
| 6 | Alaska | $106,010 | +16% above national |
| 7 | Oregon | $104,590 | +15% above national |
| 8 | Louisiana | $103,890 | +14% above national |
| 9 | Wyoming | $102,000 | +12% above national |
| 10 | Colorado | $101,980 | +12% above national |
| 11 | Rhode Island | $101,660 | +11% above national |
| 12 | New Hampshire | $100,050 | +10% above national |
| 13 | Texas | $99,640 | +9% above national |
| 14 | Minnesota | $99,280 | +9% above national |
| 15 | Connecticut | $98,140 | +8% above national |
| 16 | California | $97,860 | +7% above national |
| 17 | Alabama | $97,830 | +7% above national |
| 18 | Michigan | $97,440 | +7% above national |
| 19 | Washington | $97,420 | +7% above national |
| 20 | North Dakota | $97,330 | +7% above national |
| 21 | Virginia | $96,650 | +6% above national |
| 22 | Georgia | $92,750 | +2% above national |
| 23 | New York | $90,600 | 1% below national |
| 24 | Tennessee | $87,930 | 4% below national |
| 25 | Vermont | $86,120 | 6% below national |
| 26 | Iowa | $86,100 | 6% below national |
| 27 | West Virginia | $85,560 | 6% below national |
| 28 | Ohio | $85,270 | 7% below national |
| 29 | Illinois | $85,230 | 7% below national |
| 30 | New Jersey | $84,450 | 7% below national |
| 31 | Hawaii | $84,150 | 8% below national |
| 32 | Kentucky | $84,090 | 8% below national |
| 33 | Kansas | $82,820 | 9% below national |
| 34 | Missouri | $82,800 | 9% below national |
| 35 | Florida | $82,740 | 9% below national |
| 36 | North Carolina | $82,620 | 9% below national |
| 37 | Arizona | $81,730 | 10% below national |
| 38 | Nevada | $81,170 | 11% below national |
| 39 | Utah | $80,770 | 11% below national |
| 40 | Mississippi | $80,060 | 12% below national |
| 41 | South Carolina | $79,670 | 13% below national |
| 42 | Indiana | $78,770 | 14% below national |
| 43 | Wisconsin | $78,730 | 14% below national |
| 44 | Idaho | $78,000 | 15% below national |
| 45 | Pennsylvania | $77,090 | 16% below national |
| 46 | Puerto Rico | $76,450 | 16% below national |
| 47 | Arkansas | $75,570 | 17% below national |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $74,960 | 18% below national |
| 49 | Nebraska | $74,890 | 18% below national |
| 50 | South Dakota | $67,440 | 26% below national |
| 51 | Maine | $64,440 | 29% below national |
| 52 | Montana | $61,890 | 32% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 264 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $144,680 | +59% above national |
| 2 | Bay City, MI | $132,480 | +45% above national |
| 3 | Midland, TX | $131,860 | +45% above national |
| 4 | Lexington Park, MD | $131,810 | +44% above national |
| 5 | Lake Charles, LA | $128,330 | +41% above national |
| 6 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $127,790 | +40% above national |
| 7 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $127,290 | +40% above national |
| 8 | Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area | $127,120 | +39% above national |
| 9 | Albuquerque, NM | $126,960 | +39% above national |
| 10 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $123,840 | +36% above national |
| 11 | Spartanburg, SC | $122,350 | +34% above national |
| 12 | Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT | $121,770 | +33% above national |
| 13 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $118,880 | +30% above national |
| 14 | West North Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $118,870 | +30% above national |
| 15 | Athens-Clarke County, GA | $117,990 | +29% above national |
| 16 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $114,890 | +26% above national |
| 17 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $110,920 | +22% above national |
| 18 | Decatur, AL | $109,110 | +20% above national |
| 19 | Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $108,010 | +18% above national |
| 20 | State College, PA | $107,890 | +18% above national |
| 21 | Baton Rouge, LA | $107,590 | +18% above national |
| 22 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $106,740 | +17% above national |
| 23 | Tulsa, OK | $106,690 | +17% above national |
| 24 | Anchorage, AK | $106,000 | +16% above national |
| 25 | Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL | $105,770 | +16% above national |
| 26 | Midland, MI | $105,710 | +16% above national |
| 27 | Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | $105,610 | +16% above national |
| 28 | Boulder, CO | $105,590 | +16% above national |
| 29 | Peoria, IL | $105,370 | +15% above national |
| 30 | Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | $105,220 | +15% above national |
| 31 | Southwest Alabama nonmetropolitan area | $104,620 | +15% above national |
| 32 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $104,510 | +15% above national |
| 33 | Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $103,980 | +14% above national |
| 34 | Savannah, GA | $103,380 | +13% above national |
| 35 | High Desert Utah nonmetropolitan area | $103,330 | +13% above national |
| 36 | Mobile, AL | $102,600 | +12% above national |
| 37 | Eugene-Springfield, OR | $102,460 | +12% above national |
| 38 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $102,390 | +12% above national |
| 39 | South Nebraska nonmetropolitan area | $101,840 | +12% above national |
| 40 | Huntsville, AL | $101,500 | +11% above national |
| 41 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $100,730 | +10% above national |
| 42 | Northern New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area | $100,730 | +10% above national |
| 43 | Worcester, MA | $100,720 | +10% above national |
| 44 | Manchester-Nashua, NH | $100,090 | +10% above national |
| 45 | Longview, TX | $99,880 | +9% above national |
| 46 | Knoxville, TN | $99,790 | +9% above national |
| 47 | Mid Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $99,610 | +9% above national |
| 48 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $99,530 | +9% above national |
| 49 | Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | $99,390 | +9% above national |
| 50 | Northeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | $99,300 | +9% above national |
| 51 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $99,280 | +9% above national |
| 52 | Southern Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $98,660 | +8% above national |
| 53 | Winston-Salem, NC | $98,090 | +8% above national |
| 54 | Southwest New York nonmetropolitan area | $97,960 | +7% above national |
| 55 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $97,930 | +7% above national |
| 56 | Bend, OR | $97,690 | +7% above national |
| 57 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | $97,690 | +7% above national |
| 58 | New Haven, CT | $97,610 | +7% above national |
| 59 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $97,570 | +7% above national |
| 60 | Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL | $97,470 | +7% above national |
| 61 | South Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $97,470 | +7% above national |
| 62 | North Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $97,460 | +7% above national |
| 63 | Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA | $96,650 | +6% above national |
| 64 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $96,170 | +5% above national |
| 65 | Gainesville, FL | $96,110 | +5% above national |
| 66 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $96,100 | +5% above national |
| 67 | Lawrence, KS | $96,050 | +5% above national |
| 68 | Wichita, KS | $96,040 | +5% above national |
| 69 | Northwestern Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $95,890 | +5% above national |
| 70 | Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $95,840 | +5% above national |
| 71 | Connecticut nonmetropolitan area | $95,830 | +5% above national |
| 72 | Central Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $95,660 | +5% above national |
| 73 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $95,440 | +5% above national |
| 74 | Janesville-Beloit, WI | $95,430 | +5% above national |
| 75 | Evansville, IN | $95,210 | +4% above national |
| 76 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $95,160 | +4% above national |
| 77 | Salinas, CA | $95,080 | +4% above national |
| 78 | Corvallis, OR | $94,990 | +4% above national |
| 79 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $94,990 | +4% above national |
| 80 | York-Hanover, PA | $94,200 | +3% above national |
| 81 | Columbus, OH | $94,170 | +3% above national |
| 82 | Central North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $93,660 | +3% above national |
| 83 | Corpus Christi, TX | $93,410 | +2% above national |
| 84 | Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $93,340 | +2% above national |
| 85 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $92,660 | +2% above national |
| 86 | Gainesville, GA | $92,500 | +1% above national |
| 87 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $92,490 | +1% above national |
| 88 | Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI | $92,320 | +1% above national |
| 89 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $92,240 | +1% above national |
| 90 | Fayetteville, NC | $92,080 | +1% above national |
| 91 | West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | $91,900 | +1% above national |
| 92 | Duluth, MN-WI | $91,560 | same as national |
| 93 | Ithaca, NY | $91,330 | same as national |
| 94 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $91,040 | same as national |
| 95 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $90,920 | same as national |
| 96 | Ogden, UT | $90,740 | 1% below national |
| 97 | Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | $90,640 | 1% below national |
| 98 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $90,070 | 1% below national |
| 99 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $90,010 | 1% below national |
| 100 | Napa, CA | $89,180 | 2% below national |
| 101 | Northeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $89,130 | 2% below national |
| 102 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $88,890 | 3% below national |
| 103 | Southside Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $88,870 | 3% below national |
| 104 | Charleston, WV | $88,640 | 3% below national |
| 105 | Southern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $88,580 | 3% below national |
| 106 | Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $88,530 | 3% below national |
| 107 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $87,990 | 4% below national |
| 108 | Southeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | $87,920 | 4% below national |
| 109 | Richmond, VA | $87,580 | 4% below national |
| 110 | Visalia, CA | $87,570 | 4% below national |
| 111 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $87,560 | 4% below national |
| 112 | Northwest Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | $87,520 | 4% below national |
| 113 | Greeley, CO | $87,350 | 4% below national |
| 114 | Charlottesville, VA | $87,260 | 4% below national |
| 115 | Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $87,130 | 5% below national |
| 116 | Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $87,120 | 5% below national |
| 117 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $87,060 | 5% below national |
| 118 | Columbia, MO | $87,000 | 5% below national |
| 119 | Roanoke, VA | $86,720 | 5% below national |
| 120 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $86,690 | 5% below national |
| 121 | Burlington-South Burlington, VT | $86,120 | 6% below national |
| 122 | Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | $86,120 | 6% below national |
| 123 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $86,090 | 6% below national |
| 124 | San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $86,060 | 6% below national |
| 125 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $85,930 | 6% below national |
| 126 | Idaho Falls, ID | $85,810 | 6% below national |
| 127 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $85,770 | 6% below national |
| 128 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $85,150 | 7% below national |
| 129 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $84,910 | 7% below national |
| 130 | Kenosha, WI | $84,520 | 7% below national |
| 131 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $84,510 | 7% below national |
| 132 | Ames, IA | $84,300 | 8% below national |
| 133 | Southern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $84,220 | 8% below national |
| 134 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | $84,150 | 8% below national |
| 135 | Springfield, IL | $84,110 | 8% below national |
| 136 | Rochester, NY | $84,030 | 8% below national |
| 137 | Northwest Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $83,740 | 8% below national |
| 138 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $83,420 | 9% below national |
| 139 | Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $83,420 | 9% below national |
| 140 | Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $83,340 | 9% below national |
| 141 | Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $83,220 | 9% below national |
| 142 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $83,180 | 9% below national |
| 143 | Modesto, CA | $83,120 | 9% below national |
| 144 | Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | $82,990 | 9% below national |
| 145 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $82,960 | 9% below national |
| 146 | Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area | $82,930 | 9% below national |
| 147 | Lincoln, NE | $82,920 | 9% below national |
| 148 | North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $82,850 | 9% below national |
| 149 | Birmingham, AL | $82,790 | 9% below national |
| 150 | Northern Michigan nonmetropolitan area | $82,770 | 9% below national |
| 151 | Syracuse, NY | $82,410 | 10% below national |
| 152 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $82,400 | 10% below national |
| 153 | Sheboygan, WI | $82,260 | 10% below national |
| 154 | Northern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $82,220 | 10% below national |
| 155 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $82,110 | 10% below national |
| 156 | Cleveland, OH | $82,020 | 10% below national |
| 157 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $81,990 | 10% below national |
| 158 | Morgantown, WV | $81,970 | 10% below national |
| 159 | Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $81,950 | 10% below national |
| 160 | Reno, NV | $81,860 | 10% below national |
| 161 | Colorado Springs, CO | $81,840 | 10% below national |
| 162 | Southeast Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $81,710 | 10% below national |
| 163 | Montgomery, AL | $81,700 | 10% below national |
| 164 | Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $81,680 | 10% below national |
| 165 | Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | $81,640 | 11% below national |
| 166 | Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $81,580 | 11% below national |
| 167 | Reading, PA | $81,520 | 11% below national |
| 168 | Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $81,500 | 11% below national |
| 169 | Vallejo, CA | $81,470 | 11% below national |
| 170 | Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $81,470 | 11% below national |
| 171 | Jacksonville, FL | $81,330 | 11% below national |
| 172 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $81,270 | 11% below national |
| 173 | Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $81,240 | 11% below national |
| 174 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $81,170 | 11% below national |
| 175 | Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $80,870 | 11% below national |
| 176 | Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $80,860 | 11% below national |
| 177 | Bowling Green, KY | $80,780 | 11% below national |
| 178 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $80,510 | 12% below national |
| 179 | Central East New York nonmetropolitan area | $80,440 | 12% below national |
| 180 | Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | $80,190 | 12% below national |
| 181 | Stockton-Lodi, CA | $80,080 | 12% below national |
| 182 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $79,980 | 12% below national |
| 183 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $79,770 | 13% below national |
| 184 | North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $79,750 | 13% below national |
| 185 | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $79,600 | 13% below national |
| 186 | Auburn-Opelika, AL | $79,530 | 13% below national |
| 187 | Dover, DE | $79,300 | 13% below national |
| 188 | Central Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $79,040 | 13% below national |
| 189 | Akron, OH | $78,990 | 13% below national |
| 190 | Boise City, ID | $78,930 | 13% below national |
| 191 | Fort Wayne, IN | $78,860 | 14% below national |
| 192 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $78,860 | 14% below national |
| 193 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $78,770 | 14% below national |
| 194 | Madison, WI | $78,730 | 14% below national |
| 195 | Yakima, WA | $78,580 | 14% below national |
| 196 | Western North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $78,330 | 14% below national |
| 197 | Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI | $78,260 | 14% below national |
| 198 | Toledo, OH | $78,250 | 14% below national |
| 199 | St. Joseph, MO-KS | $78,230 | 14% below national |
| 200 | Wilmington, NC | $78,130 | 14% below national |
| 201 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $78,060 | 14% below national |
| 202 | Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $78,020 | 14% below national |
| 203 | South Central Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $78,000 | 15% below national |
| 204 | Elkhart-Goshen, IN | $77,830 | 15% below national |
| 205 | West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $77,540 | 15% below national |
| 206 | Joplin, MO-KS | $77,460 | 15% below national |
| 207 | Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $77,400 | 15% below national |
| 208 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $77,380 | 15% below national |
| 209 | Bloomington, IN | $77,080 | 16% below national |
| 210 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $76,980 | 16% below national |
| 211 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $76,830 | 16% below national |
| 212 | Canton-Massillon, OH | $76,660 | 16% below national |
| 213 | Hill Country Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | $76,580 | 16% below national |
| 214 | Terre Haute, IN | $76,290 | 16% below national |
| 215 | Springfield, MO | $76,270 | 16% below national |
| 216 | North Arkansas nonmetropolitan area | $76,220 | 16% below national |
| 217 | Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $76,110 | 17% below national |
| 218 | Eastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area | $75,960 | 17% below national |
| 219 | Central New Hampshire nonmetropolitan area | $75,720 | 17% below national |
| 220 | Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | $75,610 | 17% below national |
| 221 | Omaha, NE-IA | $74,890 | 18% below national |
| 222 | South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | $74,890 | 18% below national |
| 223 | North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) | $74,770 | 18% below national |
| 224 | Green Bay, WI | $74,660 | 18% below national |
| 225 | Pittsburgh, PA | $74,200 | 19% below national |
| 226 | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $73,670 | 19% below national |
| 227 | Fresno, CA | $73,470 | 19% below national |
| 228 | Columbia, SC | $73,430 | 20% below national |
| 229 | South Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $73,320 | 20% below national |
| 230 | Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $73,300 | 20% below national |
| 231 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $73,100 | 20% below national |
| 232 | North Georgia nonmetropolitan area | $72,780 | 20% below national |
| 233 | Lima, OH | $72,570 | 20% below national |
| 234 | Northwest Minnesota nonmetropolitan area | $72,460 | 21% below national |
| 235 | Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $72,340 | 21% below national |
| 236 | Fargo, ND-MN | $71,510 | 22% below national |
| 237 | Kansas nonmetropolitan area | $70,960 | 22% below national |
| 238 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | $68,640 | 25% below national |
| 239 | Bozeman, MT | $67,570 | 26% below national |
| 240 | Champaign-Urbana, IL | $67,310 | 26% below national |
| 241 | Central Indiana nonmetropolitan area | $67,220 | 26% below national |
| 242 | Ann Arbor, MI | $67,050 | 27% below national |
| 243 | Asheville, NC | $66,910 | 27% below national |
| 244 | Iowa City, IA | $65,270 | 28% below national |
| 245 | Youngstown-Warren, OH | $65,170 | 29% below national |
| 246 | College Station-Bryan, TX | $65,080 | 29% below national |
| 247 | East South Dakota nonmetropolitan area | $65,060 | 29% below national |
| 248 | Bellingham, WA | $64,560 | 29% below national |
| 249 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $64,320 | 30% below national |
| 250 | Lynchburg, VA | $63,960 | 30% below national |
| 251 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $63,810 | 30% below national |
| 252 | El Paso, TX | $63,620 | 30% below national |
| 253 | Waco, TX | $61,880 | 32% below national |
| 254 | Oklahoma City, OK | $61,750 | 32% below national |
| 255 | Maryland nonmetropolitan area | $61,370 | 33% below national |
| 256 | Topeka, KS | $60,130 | 34% below national |
| 257 | Johnstown, PA | $59,920 | 34% below national |
| 258 | Billings, MT | $59,780 | 34% below national |
| 259 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $57,970 | 36% below national |
| 260 | Lubbock, TX | $57,090 | 37% below national |
| 261 | Tallahassee, FL | $53,000 | 42% below national |
| 262 | Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | $52,140 | 43% below national |
| 263 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $48,530 | 47% below national |
| 264 | Ponce, PR | $48,180 | 47% below national |
Similar Occupations in the Same Category
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What to do with this data
How to use Chemists pay figures in a real decision
- For an experienced offer, anchor on the 75th percentile (about $125,550/year), not the median. The median marks the middle worker; the upper quartile is the realistic target with strong experience. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: District of Columbia leads at $149,860/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Every figure on WageDex is rendered directly from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage data, no number is typed in by an editor. This occupation's figures are computed directly from the BLS OEWS and Employment Projections datasets, nothing is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of May 2025.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.