Chemists salary
| Measure | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $58,460 | $28.11 |
| Median (50th percentile) | $91,240 | $43.87 |
| Mean (average) | $100,450 | $48.29 |
| 90th percentile | $160,830 | $77.32 |
These wages describe everyone employed in the occupation, from new entrants to experienced workers. They are not starting salaries and not earnings of graduates from any particular program. Verified data
Chemists pay by state and metro area
Table: median wage and employment for all 52 states and territories
| State | Median | 10th pct | 90th pct | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $97,830 | $61,050 | $150,410 | 700 | 0.62 |
| Alaska | $106,010 | $61,840 | $140,800 | 60 | 0.35 |
| Arizona | $81,730 | $53,520 | $135,940 | 870 | 0.5 |
| Arkansas | $75,570 | $46,600 | $131,620 | 380 | 0.55 |
| California | $97,860 | $60,930 | $164,150 | 9,820 | 1.01 |
| Colorado | $101,980 | $61,260 | $162,680 | 1,790 | 1.17 |
| Connecticut | $98,140 | $65,230 | $144,740 | 1,170 | 1.3 |
| Delaware | $129,860 | $80,500 | $170,290 | 1,200 | 4.65 |
| District of Columbia | $149,860 | $101,400 | $195,190 | 280 | 0.74 |
| Florida | $82,740 | $50,200 | $150,840 | 1,490 | 0.28 |
| Georgia | $92,750 | $56,760 | $144,870 | 1,260 | 0.48 |
| Hawaii | $84,150 | $63,080 | $126,070 | 140 | 0.42 |
| Idaho | $78,000 | $37,230 | $134,850 | 320 | 0.71 |
| Illinois | $85,230 | $60,740 | $141,310 | 3,040 | 0.94 |
| Indiana | $78,770 | $56,960 | $133,140 | 2,480 | 1.46 |
| Iowa | $86,100 | $65,270 | $137,560 | 570 | 0.69 |
| Kansas | $82,820 | $53,360 | $132,460 | 690 | 0.9 |
| Kentucky | $84,090 | $54,950 | $126,060 | 530 | 0.5 |
| Louisiana | $103,890 | $58,310 | $168,460 | 740 | 0.72 |
| Maine | $64,440 | $50,640 | $100,360 | 140 | 0.41 |
| Maryland | $140,670 | $75,430 | $195,190 | 2,480 | 1.69 |
| Massachusetts | $125,000 | $71,120 | $212,210 | 3,430 | 1.77 |
| Michigan | $97,440 | $56,260 | $164,200 | 3,490 | 1.49 |
| Minnesota | $99,280 | $60,010 | $158,540 | 1,680 | 1.07 |
| Mississippi | $80,060 | $52,060 | $130,560 | 200 | 0.33 |
| Missouri | $82,800 | $48,240 | $134,940 | 1,640 | 1.05 |
| Montana | $61,890 | $44,260 | $115,390 | 300 | 1.1 |
| Nebraska | $74,890 | $62,280 | $128,510 | 350 | 0.64 |
| Nevada | $81,170 | $49,220 | $130,800 | 280 | 0.34 |
| New Hampshire | $100,050 | $58,260 | $133,960 | 300 | 0.84 |
| New Jersey | $84,450 | $60,910 | $144,030 | 5,280 | 2.31 |
| New Mexico | $126,960 | $59,490 | $212,940 | 280 | 0.61 |
| New York | $90,600 | $61,100 | $155,190 | 4,230 | 0.82 |
| North Carolina | $82,620 | $58,170 | $132,020 | 4,530 | 1.72 |
| North Dakota | $97,330 | $52,050 | $132,330 | 160 | 0.69 |
| Ohio | $85,270 | $59,010 | $134,820 | 4,010 | 1.36 |
| Oklahoma | $74,960 | $48,520 | $112,920 | 630 | 0.7 |
| Oregon | $104,590 | $70,320 | $157,700 | 730 | 0.7 |
| Pennsylvania | $77,090 | $49,800 | $144,860 | 6,800 | 2.11 |
| Puerto Rico | $76,450 | $40,160 | $135,530 | 810 | 1.62 |
| Rhode Island | $101,660 | $70,210 | $146,830 | 150 | 0.55 |
| South Carolina | $79,670 | $54,420 | $139,570 | 770 | 0.63 |
| South Dakota | $67,440 | $51,270 | $101,030 | 170 | 0.7 |
| Tennessee | $87,930 | $48,530 | $132,630 | 960 | 0.55 |
| Texas | $99,640 | $58,850 | $170,250 | 5,130 | 0.68 |
| Utah | $80,770 | $54,350 | $129,990 | 910 | 0.98 |
| Vermont | $86,120 | $68,640 | $128,420 | 80 | 0.47 |
| Virginia | $96,650 | $52,870 | $166,230 | 1,640 | 0.75 |
| Washington | $97,420 | $62,690 | $165,090 | 2,280 | 1.21 |
| West Virginia | $85,560 | $59,600 | $132,380 | 180 | 0.49 |
| Wisconsin | $78,730 | $52,020 | $109,450 | 1,920 | 1.22 |
| Wyoming | $102,000 | $52,150 | $127,120 | 80 | 0.53 |
A location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in that state than in the nation overall.
Metro areas with the most jobs
Highest paying metro areas
Job outlook for chemists
- Average annual openings, 2025 to 2035: 5,900. Openings include new jobs plus replacement needs when workers retire or leave the occupation. Official projection
- Share of workers who are self-employed (2025): 0.3%.
- Read the official BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook profile.
These are official BLS projections. ConnectPrep does not alter them or present its own forecasts as official statistics.
Education and training for chemists
- Typical entry education
- Bachelor's degree
- Related work experience
- None
- On-the-job training
- None
- O*NET Job Zone
- Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed
Highest education of people working in this occupation
O*NET describes this preparation level as: Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Degrees and programs that lead to this career
Programs officially mapped to this occupation in the NCES and BLS CIP to SOC crosswalk. A mapping means the program commonly prepares students for the occupation, not that every graduate works in it. Official crosswalk
- Chemistry, General CIP 40.0501
- Analytical Chemistry CIP 40.0502
- Inorganic Chemistry CIP 40.0503
- Organic Chemistry CIP 40.0504
- Physical Chemistry CIP 40.0506
- Polymer Chemistry CIP 40.0507
- Chemical Physics CIP 40.0508
- Environmental Chemistry CIP 40.0509
- Forensic Chemistry CIP 40.0510
- Theoretical Chemistry CIP 40.0511
- Cheminformatics/Chemistry Informatics CIP 40.0512
- Chemistry, Other CIP 40.0599
- Materials Chemistry CIP 40.1002
- Medicinal and Pharmaceutical Chemistry CIP 51.2004
Skills, knowledge, and daily work
Most important skills
Most important knowledge areas
Typical 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.
Technology skills
- Microsoft Excel (in demand)
- Microsoft Office software (in demand)
- Microsoft PowerPoint (in demand)
- C (hot technology)
- C++ (hot technology)
- Extensible markup language XML (hot technology)
- Hypertext markup language HTML (hot technology)
- Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Microsoft Visio (hot technology)
- Microsoft Visual Basic (hot technology)
- Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Oracle Java (hot technology)
- R (hot technology)
- SAP software (hot technology)
- Structured query language SQL (hot technology)
- Accelrys Cerius2
Transferable skills for career changers: Complex Problem Solving, Quality Control Analysis, Judgment and Decision Making, Systems Analysis, Systems Evaluation, Social Perceptiveness.
Common job titles: Air Quality Chemist, Analytical Chemist, Chemical Lab Scientist (Chemical Laboratory Scientist), Chemist, Forensic Chemist, Product Development Chemist, QC Chemist (Quality Control Chemist), R and D Chemist (Research and Development Chemist), Research Chemist, Scientist.
Is it worth it? Model the cost of getting there
Use the ROI calculator to compare the cost of the education this career usually requires against staying on your current path. It starts from the official wage distribution above, and you can change every assumption.
Frequently asked questions
How much do chemists make?
The national median annual wage for chemists was $91,240 in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program. The lowest paid 10 percent earned less than $58,460 and the highest paid 10 percent earned more than $160,830. These figures cover all workers in the occupation, not only new entrants.
What education do chemists need?
BLS lists bachelor's degree as the typical education needed to enter this occupation, with none of related work experience and none on-the-job training typically needed to become competent.
Is chemists a growing career?
BLS projects employment of chemists to change +6.4% from 2025 to 2035, compared with +3.5% for all occupations. About 5,900 openings are projected each year on average, including openings from workers who retire or change occupations.
Which states pay chemists the most?
By median annual wage in May 2025, the highest paying states were District of Columbia ($149,860), Maryland ($140,670), Delaware ($129,860). Pay differences partly reflect differences in living costs.