SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Conduct qualitative and quantitative chemical analyses or experiments in laboratories for quality or process control or to develop new products or knowledge. Excludes “Biochemists and Biophysicists” (19-1021) and “Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers” (19-2042).
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 19-2031.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $58,460 | $4,872 | $1,124 | $28.11 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $69,460 | $5,788 | $1,336 | $33.39 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $91,240 | $7,603 | $1,755 | $43.87 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $125,550 | $10,462 | $2,414 | $60.36 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $160,830 | $13,402 | $3,093 | $77.32 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Chemists is $91,240, which is 79% higher. Among the 48 occupations of the field Life, Physical, and Social Science, it ranks number 22 by median pay. With 82,770 jobs, it makes up about 5.3 of every 10,000 jobs in the country. The average ($100,450) is well above the median, a sign that a smaller group of high earners pulls the average up.
Chemists pay by state
The highest median pay was in District of Columbia ($149,860), Maryland ($140,670) and Delaware ($129,860). The lowest was in Montana ($61,890), Maine ($64,440) and South Dakota ($67,440). The most jobs were in California (9,820), Pennsylvania (6,800) and New Jersey (5,280). The occupation is most concentrated in Delaware, where its share of all jobs is 4.7 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 280 | $149,860 | $148,840 | $72.05 |
| Maryland | 2,480 | $140,670 | $139,100 | $67.63 |
| Delaware | 1,200 | $129,860 | $122,170 | $62.43 |
| New Mexico | 280 | $126,960 | $128,630 | $61.04 |
| Massachusetts | 3,430 | $125,000 | $128,930 | $60.09 |
| Alaska | 60 | $106,010 | $104,520 | $50.96 |
| Oregon | 730 | $104,590 | $111,320 | $50.28 |
| Louisiana | 740 | $103,890 | $106,810 | $49.95 |
| Wyoming | 80 | $102,000 | $99,310 | $49.04 |
| Colorado | 1,790 | $101,980 | $106,480 | $49.03 |
| Rhode Island | 150 | $101,660 | $106,450 | $48.88 |
| New Hampshire | 300 | $100,050 | $99,570 | $48.10 |
| Texas | 5,130 | $99,640 | $106,830 | $47.90 |
| Minnesota | 1,680 | $99,280 | $102,390 | $47.73 |
| Connecticut | 1,170 | $98,140 | $104,030 | $47.18 |
| California | 9,820 | $97,860 | $106,810 | $47.05 |
| Alabama | 700 | $97,830 | $101,710 | $47.03 |
| Michigan | 3,490 | $97,440 | $101,210 | $46.85 |
| Washington | 2,280 | $97,420 | $104,480 | $46.84 |
| North Dakota | 160 | $97,330 | $94,470 | $46.80 |
| Virginia | 1,640 | $96,650 | $104,120 | $46.47 |
| Georgia | 1,260 | $92,750 | $96,910 | $44.59 |
| New York | 4,230 | $90,600 | $100,920 | $43.56 |
| Tennessee | 960 | $87,930 | $88,400 | $42.27 |
| Vermont | 80 | $86,120 | $92,730 | $41.40 |
| Iowa | 570 | $86,100 | $94,080 | $41.39 |
| West Virginia | 180 | $85,560 | $92,500 | $41.14 |
| Ohio | 4,010 | $85,270 | $94,470 | $41.00 |
| Illinois | 3,040 | $85,230 | $98,420 | $40.98 |
| New Jersey | 5,280 | $84,450 | $96,980 | $40.60 |
| Hawaii | 140 | $84,150 | $90,030 | $40.46 |
| Kentucky | 530 | $84,090 | $86,740 | $40.43 |
| Kansas | 690 | $82,820 | $88,190 | $39.82 |
| Missouri | 1,640 | $82,800 | $92,000 | $39.81 |
| Florida | 1,490 | $82,740 | $91,600 | $39.78 |
| North Carolina | 4,530 | $82,620 | $90,800 | $39.72 |
| Arizona | 870 | $81,730 | $92,120 | $39.29 |
| Nevada | 280 | $81,170 | $86,700 | $39.02 |
| Utah | 910 | $80,770 | $85,710 | $38.83 |
| Mississippi | 200 | $80,060 | $87,580 | $38.49 |
| South Carolina | 770 | $79,670 | $90,130 | $38.30 |
| Indiana | 2,480 | $78,770 | $88,080 | $37.87 |
| Wisconsin | 1,920 | $78,730 | $82,560 | $37.85 |
| Idaho | 320 | $78,000 | $86,120 | $37.50 |
| Pennsylvania | 6,800 | $77,090 | $87,990 | $37.06 |
| Puerto Rico | 810 | $76,450 | $78,560 | $36.76 |
| Arkansas | 380 | $75,570 | $86,800 | $36.33 |
| Oklahoma | 630 | $74,960 | $81,250 | $36.04 |
| Nebraska | 350 | $74,890 | $84,560 | $36.00 |
| South Dakota | 170 | $67,440 | $72,750 | $32.42 |
| Maine | 140 | $64,440 | $70,750 | $30.98 |
| Montana | 300 | $61,890 | $71,860 | $29.76 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Hydrologists$96,600 a year
- School Psychologists$95,990 a year
- Life Scientists, All Other$93,750 a year
- Occupational Health and Safety Specialists$90,150 a year
- Urban and Regional Planners$89,320 a year
- Food Scientists and Technologists$88,720 a year
Common questions
How much do Chemists earn in the United States?
The median pay was $91,240 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $58,460 and the highest-paid 10% more than $160,830.
How many people work as Chemists?
About 82,770 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.