BLS metro-level wage data places Chemists pay in York-Hanover, PA at a median of $94,200 per year ($45.29/hr/hour), drawn from the OEWS May 2025 release for this Metropolitan Statistical Area. Compared to the national median of $91,240, York-Hanover pays +3% above, signaling either concentrated employer demand, a cost-of-living premium, or both. Approximately 160 chemistss are employed across the York-Hanover MSA in SOC 19-2031.

The York-Hanover pay distribution spans from $57,490 at the 10th percentile to $144,700 at the 90th — a 2.5× spread that reflects experience tenure, specialization, employer size, and the difference between public-sector, nonprofit, and private-sector compensation inside the metro. The 25th percentile sits at $72,060 and the 75th at $127,430, so half of York-Hanover-based chemistss earn within that middle band.

Metro figures capture where you actually work, not just where you live — which matters for commuters. BLS draws metro boundaries from the OMB MSA definitions, so York-Hanover, PA covers the central city plus outlying counties tied to the metro economically. Remember that OEWS wages reflect base pay only: employer-provided health insurance, retirement matches, stock options, signing bonuses, overtime, and tips are excluded and can add 20-40% to real total compensation. Before using this metro median as a negotiation anchor, triangulate against the same occupation's national profile (linked below), its state-wide PA data, and peer-metro comparisons — a median is a starting point, not a ceiling.