Chemical Technician salary in the U.S.
Chemical Technicians in the U.S. earn a median of $60,390 a year ($29.03 an hour), based on BLS data for 57,540 workers.
Pay ranges from $41,740 for the lowest-paid 10% to $92,040 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $63,900, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for chemical technicians in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $41,740 | $20.07 |
| 25th percentile | $48,530 | $23.33 |
| Median | $60,390 | $29.03 |
| 75th percentile | $75,900 | $36.49 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $92,040 | $44.25 |
| Average (mean) | $63,900 | $30.72 |
Half of chemical technicians earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $5,032.50 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $2,516.25 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $2,322.69 |
| Weekly | $1,161.35 |
| Hourly | $29.03 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Chemical Technician salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Louisiana | $85,850 | 960 |
| Alaska | $79,380 | 100 |
| Delaware | $78,620 | 540 |
| South Carolina | $75,020 | 2,080 |
| Missouri | $68,550 | 720 |
| Massachusetts | $67,570 | 1,780 |
| Arizona | $65,860 | 390 |
| Vermont | $65,560 | 150 |
| Hawaii | $63,910 | 40 |
| Colorado | $63,770 | 1,180 |
| Nebraska | $62,640 | 280 |
| Texas | $62,580 | 6,090 |
| Minnesota | $62,400 | 870 |
| Washington | $62,100 | 730 |
| Illinois | $61,890 | 1,320 |
| Rhode Island | $61,680 | 190 |
| Kansas | $61,560 | 370 |
| Nevada | $61,520 | 1,050 |
| New York | $60,900 | 2,200 |
| Kentucky | $60,830 | 700 |
| Oklahoma | $60,020 | 610 |
| Ohio | $59,750 | 3,120 |
| California | $59,510 | 6,800 |
| Wisconsin | $59,440 | 1,090 |
| Pennsylvania | $59,420 | 2,710 |
| Indiana | $59,290 | 1,990 |
| North Carolina | $59,030 | 2,660 |
| West Virginia | $58,750 | 230 |
| New Jersey | $58,580 | 2,730 |
| Michigan | $58,180 | 2,220 |
| Alabama | $58,150 | 1,190 |
| Georgia | $58,120 | 850 |
| Iowa | $58,090 | 440 |
| Oregon | $57,960 | 340 |
| North Dakota | $57,760 | 150 |
| Connecticut | $57,310 | 510 |
| District of Columbia | $56,530 | 30 |
| Wyoming | $56,320 | 230 |
| New Mexico | $55,120 | 250 |
| Tennessee | $54,840 | 1,470 |
| Mississippi | $54,580 | 480 |
| Idaho | $54,560 | 170 |
| Florida | $54,050 | 1,840 |
| Montana | $52,890 | 240 |
| Virginia | $51,850 | 1,370 |
| Maine | $49,280 | 100 |
| Maryland | $49,280 | 590 |
| South Dakota | $49,030 | 90 |
| Utah | $49,030 | 580 |
| New Hampshire | $48,940 | 220 |
| Arkansas | $45,230 | 500 |
| Puerto Rico | $37,510 | 990 |
Best-paying metro areas for chemical technicians
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Baton Rouge, LA | $92,120 | 410 |
| Lake Charles, LA | $88,780 | 150 |
| Evansville, IN | $85,230 | 220 |
| Midland, MI | $82,780 | 50 |
| Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | $80,410 | 50 |
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $80,390 | 250 |
| Duluth, MN-WI | $80,190 | 60 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | $79,290 | 350 |
| Bay City, MI | $78,120 | 80 |
| Niles, MI | $77,840 | 40 |
| Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $77,220 | 90 |
| Bellingham, WA | $73,380 | 60 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $73,290 | 370 |
| Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | $73,090 | 60 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $71,470 | 1,040 |
Metro areas with the most chemical technicians
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 3,120 | $60,320 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 2,620 | $65,050 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 2,330 | $58,070 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 1,370 | $66,940 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 1,240 | $67,850 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 1,140 | $62,100 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 1,040 | $71,470 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 950 | $62,990 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 910 | $57,270 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 760 | $49,460 |
| San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | 760 | $37,510 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | 730 | $62,020 |
| Cleveland, OH | 670 | $62,080 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 630 | $62,820 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 590 | $59,800 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other | $62,280 | $29.94 |
| Biological Technician | $57,510 | $27.65 |
| Environmental Science and Protection Technicians, Including Health | $55,090 | $26.49 |
| Social Science Research Assistant | $61,990 | $29.81 |
| Forest and Conservation Technicians | $54,560 | $26.23 |
| Forensic Science Technician | $72,060 | $34.65 |
| Agricultural Technician | $49,630 | $23.86 |
| Food Science Technician | $52,130 | $25.06 |
| Geological Technicians, Except Hydrologic Technicians | $53,350 | $25.65 |
| Nuclear Technician | $110,240 | $53.00 |
| Hydrologic Technician | $64,790 | $31.15 |
| Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists | $103,410 | $49.72 |
| Occupational Health and Safety Specialists | $90,150 | $43.34 |
| Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health | $82,220 | $39.53 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 19-4031. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a chemical technician make in the U.S.?
The median salary for chemical technicians in the U.S. is $60,390 a year, or $29.03 an hour. Pay ranges from $41,740 for the lowest-paid 10% to $92,040 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid chemical technicians make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of chemical technicians in the U.S. earn at least $92,040 a year. The top 25% earn $75,900 or more.
What is the starting pay for chemical technicians in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $41,740 a year, and a quarter of chemical technicians earn $48,530 or less.
How many chemical technicians work in the U.S.?
About 57,540 chemical technicians are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.