Chemist salary in the U.S.
Chemists in the U.S. earn a median of $91,240 a year ($43.87 an hour), based on BLS data for 82,770 workers.
Pay ranges from $58,460 for the lowest-paid 10% to $160,830 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $100,450, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for chemists in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $58,460 | $28.11 |
| 25th percentile | $69,460 | $33.39 |
| Median | $91,240 | $43.87 |
| 75th percentile | $125,550 | $60.36 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $160,830 | $77.32 |
| Average (mean) | $100,450 | $48.29 |
Half of chemists 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 | $7,603.33 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $3,801.67 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $3,509.23 |
| Weekly | $1,754.62 |
| Hourly | $43.87 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Chemist salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $149,860 | 280 |
| Maryland | $140,670 | 2,480 |
| Delaware | $129,860 | 1,200 |
| New Mexico | $126,960 | 280 |
| Massachusetts | $125,000 | 3,430 |
| Alaska | $106,010 | 60 |
| Oregon | $104,590 | 730 |
| Louisiana | $103,890 | 740 |
| Wyoming | $102,000 | 80 |
| Colorado | $101,980 | 1,790 |
| Rhode Island | $101,660 | 150 |
| New Hampshire | $100,050 | 300 |
| Texas | $99,640 | 5,130 |
| Minnesota | $99,280 | 1,680 |
| Connecticut | $98,140 | 1,170 |
| California | $97,860 | 9,820 |
| Alabama | $97,830 | 700 |
| Michigan | $97,440 | 3,490 |
| Washington | $97,420 | 2,280 |
| North Dakota | $97,330 | 160 |
| Virginia | $96,650 | 1,640 |
| Georgia | $92,750 | 1,260 |
| New York | $90,600 | 4,230 |
| Tennessee | $87,930 | 960 |
| Vermont | $86,120 | 80 |
| Iowa | $86,100 | 570 |
| West Virginia | $85,560 | 180 |
| Ohio | $85,270 | 4,010 |
| Illinois | $85,230 | 3,040 |
| New Jersey | $84,450 | 5,280 |
| Hawaii | $84,150 | 140 |
| Kentucky | $84,090 | 530 |
| Kansas | $82,820 | 690 |
| Missouri | $82,800 | 1,640 |
| Florida | $82,740 | 1,490 |
| North Carolina | $82,620 | 4,530 |
| Arizona | $81,730 | 870 |
| Nevada | $81,170 | 280 |
| Utah | $80,770 | 910 |
| Mississippi | $80,060 | 200 |
| South Carolina | $79,670 | 770 |
| Indiana | $78,770 | 2,480 |
| Wisconsin | $78,730 | 1,920 |
| Idaho | $78,000 | 320 |
| Pennsylvania | $77,090 | 6,800 |
| Puerto Rico | $76,450 | 810 |
| Arkansas | $75,570 | 380 |
| Oklahoma | $74,960 | 630 |
| Nebraska | $74,890 | 350 |
| South Dakota | $67,440 | 170 |
| Maine | $64,440 | 140 |
| Montana | $61,890 | 300 |
Best-paying metro areas for chemists
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $144,680 | 2,490 |
| Bay City, MI | $132,480 | 250 |
| Midland, TX | $131,860 | 70 |
| Lexington Park, MD | $131,810 | 60 |
| Lake Charles, LA | $128,330 | 180 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $127,790 | 2,180 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $127,290 | 2,960 |
| Albuquerque, NM | $126,960 | 180 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $123,840 | 50 |
| Spartanburg, SC | $122,350 | 90 |
| Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT | $121,770 | 210 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $118,880 | 610 |
| Athens-Clarke County, GA | $117,990 | 110 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $114,890 | 580 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $110,920 | 400 |
Metro areas with the most chemists
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 6,750 | $85,150 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 4,520 | $95,440 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 3,190 | $87,060 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 2,960 | $127,290 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 2,630 | $90,920 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 2,490 | $144,680 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 2,430 | $106,740 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 2,180 | $127,790 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 1,420 | $99,280 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 1,370 | $95,160 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | 1,310 | $78,770 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 1,250 | $85,770 |
| Columbus, OH | 1,170 | $94,170 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | 1,140 | $81,580 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 1,090 | $87,990 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health | $82,220 | $39.53 |
| Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers | $101,920 | $49.00 |
| Physical Scientists, All Other | $122,570 | $58.93 |
| Physicist | $172,250 | $82.81 |
| Atmospheric and Space Scientists | $99,070 | $47.63 |
| Materials Scientist | $117,790 | $56.63 |
| Hydrologist | $96,600 | $46.44 |
| Astronomer | $128,820 | $61.94 |
| Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists | $103,410 | $49.72 |
| Occupational Health and Safety Specialists | $90,150 | $43.34 |
| Clinical and Counseling Psychologists | $100,580 | $48.36 |
| Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other | $62,280 | $29.94 |
| Biological Technician | $57,510 | $27.65 |
| School Psychologist | $95,990 | $46.15 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 19-2031. 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 chemist make in the U.S.?
The median salary for chemists in the U.S. is $91,240 a year, or $43.87 an hour. Pay ranges from $58,460 for the lowest-paid 10% to $160,830 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid chemists make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of chemists in the U.S. earn at least $160,830 a year. The top 25% earn $125,550 or more.
What is the starting pay for chemists in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $58,460 a year, and a quarter of chemists earn $69,460 or less.
How many chemists work in the U.S.?
About 82,770 chemists are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.