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Chemist salary
Average chemist salary
$64,961
Understanding Chemist Salaries
A chemist's salary can vary significantly based on several factors, including education, experience, and geographic location. As of October 2025, the average annual salary for chemists is $64,961. In terms of hourly wages, this translates to approximately $31. Chemists in states like California and Massachusetts tend to earn higher salaries, reflecting both the cost of living and demand for skilled professionals in these areas.
Factors Influencing Salary
Experience plays a crucial role in salary determination. Entry-level chemists may expect to earn less compared to those with several years in the field. Additionally, specific industries can impact earnings. For example, chemists working in pharmaceuticals typically enjoy higher compensation than those in academia or government roles.
Job Opportunities
As the demand for chemists continues to grow, job opportunities are expanding across various sectors, including environmental science, pharmaceuticals, and industrial chemistry. Prospective chemists can find roles that match their skills and interests, enhancing their career prospects in a field that is both rewarding and essential.
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Where can a Chemist earn more?
Chemist salary estimates from across the web
Average chemist salary by state
The highest-paying states for chemists are Delaware, Vermont, and Massachusetts. The lowest average chemist salary states are Utah, Arkansas, and North Carolina.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for chemists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Delaware | $91,070 | $43.78 |
| 2 | Massachusetts | $81,229 | $39.05 |
| 3 | Washington | $79,198 | $38.08 |
| 4 | Rhode Island | $78,435 | $37.71 |
| 5 | Vermont | $88,284 | $42.44 |
| 6 | New Jersey | $73,863 | $35.51 |
| 7 | Connecticut | $75,073 | $36.09 |
| 8 | Maryland | $75,227 | $36.17 |
| 9 | Virginia | $80,187 | $38.55 |
| 10 | New Hampshire | $68,658 | $33.01 |
| 11 | District of Columbia | $82,730 | $39.77 |
| 12 | Tennessee | $66,318 | $31.88 |
| 13 | Ohio | $63,339 | $30.45 |
| 14 | Minnesota | $64,696 | $31.10 |
| 15 | New York | $64,304 | $30.92 |
| 16 | Michigan | $63,587 | $30.57 |
| 17 | Texas | $63,325 | $30.44 |
| 18 | New Mexico | $62,369 | $29.99 |
| 19 | West Virginia | $65,029 | $31.26 |
| 20 | Louisiana | $66,912 | $32.17 |
| 21 | Indiana | $60,355 | $29.02 |
| 22 | Wisconsin | $59,463 | $28.59 |
| 23 | South Dakota | $62,697 | $30.14 |
| 24 | Iowa | $59,328 | $28.52 |
| 25 | California | $61,259 | $29.45 |
| 26 | Pennsylvania | $57,459 | $27.62 |
| 27 | Georgia | $62,103 | $29.86 |
| 28 | Kansas | $61,051 | $29.35 |
| 29 | Colorado | $63,262 | $30.41 |
| 30 | Maine | $58,554 | $28.15 |
| 31 | Alabama | $60,518 | $29.10 |
| 32 | North Dakota | $56,502 | $27.16 |
| 33 | Montana | $60,146 | $28.92 |
| 34 | Missouri | $54,417 | $26.16 |
| 35 | Illinois | $56,144 | $26.99 |
| 36 | South Carolina | $57,410 | $27.60 |
| 37 | Kentucky | $55,562 | $26.71 |
| 38 | Oregon | $53,897 | $25.91 |
| 39 | Mississippi | $57,025 | $27.42 |
| 40 | Alaska | $55,535 | $26.70 |
| 41 | Oklahoma | $56,816 | $27.32 |
| 42 | Utah | $53,315 | $25.63 |
| 43 | Nebraska | $55,111 | $26.50 |
| 44 | Arizona | $56,049 | $26.95 |
| 45 | Hawaii | $60,722 | $29.19 |
| 46 | North Carolina | $50,569 | $24.31 |
| 47 | Nevada | $53,493 | $25.72 |
| 48 | Arkansas | $51,064 | $24.55 |
| 49 | Idaho | $49,979 | $24.03 |
| 50 | Florida | $44,587 | $21.44 |
| 51 | Wyoming | $45,178 | $21.72 |
Highest paying cities for chemists
The highest-paying cities for chemists are Wilmington, DE, Cambridge, MA, and Baltimore, MD.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wilmington, DE | $91,315 | $43.90 |
| 2 | Cambridge, MA | $81,188 | $39.03 |
| 3 | Baltimore, MD | $75,468 | $36.28 |
| 4 | Edison, NJ | $73,927 | $35.54 |
| 5 | Fairfield, CA | $65,822 | $31.65 |
| 6 | New York, NY | $64,440 | $30.98 |
| 7 | Detroit, MI | $63,794 | $30.67 |
| 8 | The Woodlands, TX | $63,255 | $30.41 |
| 9 | Columbus, OH | $63,088 | $30.33 |
| 10 | Atlanta, GA | $62,314 | $29.96 |
| 11 | Indianapolis, IN | $60,203 | $28.94 |
| 12 | Levittown, PA | $57,843 | $27.81 |
| 13 | North Chicago, IL | $56,521 | $27.17 |
| 14 | Saint Louis, MO | $54,891 | $26.39 |
| 15 | Salt Lake City, UT | $53,219 | $25.59 |
| 16 | Tallahassee, FL | $44,973 | $21.62 |
Chemists are the most in-demand in these five cities:
Chemist salary details
A chemist's salary ranges from $46,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $90,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a chemist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $90,000 | $7,500 | $43 |
| 75th Percentile | $77,000 | $6,417 | $37 |
| Average | $64,961 | $5,413 | $31 |
| 25th Percentile | $54,000 | $4,500 | $26 |
| 10th Percentile | $46,000 | $3,833 | $22 |
Highest paying chemist jobs
The highest paying types of chemists are senior scientist, scientist, and staff scientist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Laboratory Analyst | $44,024 | $3,669 | $21.17 | 44,074 |
| Quality Control Coordinator | $49,894 | $4,158 | $23.99 | 88,145 |
| Research Fellow | $53,823 | $4,485 | $25.88 | 59,746 |
| Quality Control Analyst | $59,217 | $4,935 | $28.47 | 85,546 |
| Microbiologist | $54,620 | $4,552 | $26.26 | 11,444 |
| Research And Development Scientist | $90,278 | $7,523 | $43.40 | 129,803 |
Top companies hiring chemists now:
Which companies pay chemists the most?
Chemist salaries at Meta and Applied Materials are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average chemist salary at companies like Arkema and Genentech are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Meta | $118,269 | $56.86 |
| 2 | Applied Materials | $106,293 | $51.10 |
| 3 | Arkema | $104,431 | $50.21 |
| 4 | Genentech | $104,201 | $50.10 |
| 5 | Stryker | $102,881 | $49.46 |
| 6 | The Dow Chemical Company | $102,841 | $49.44 |
| 7 | Nalco Holding Company | $102,560 | $49.31 |
| 8 | Waters | $100,779 | $48.45 |
| 9 | Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory | $100,658 | $48.39 |
| 10 | Stepan | $100,280 | $48.21 |
| 11 | Argonne National Laboratory | $99,614 | $47.89 |
| 12 | Agilent Technologies | $99,400 | $47.79 |
| 13 | Aramco Services Company | $99,269 | $47.73 |
| 14 | Brookhaven National Laboratory | $99,192 | $47.69 |
| 15 | Los Alamos National Laboratory | $99,125 | $47.66 |
| 16 | Celanese | $99,109 | $47.65 |
| 17 | Apple | $99,007 | $47.60 |
| 18 | OSI Systems | $98,456 | $47.33 |
| 19 | Battelle | $98,201 | $47.21 |
| 20 | Entegris | $97,789 | $47.01 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Chemist salary by industry
The average chemist salary varies across industries:
- The average chemist salary in the manufacturing industry is $75,495, the highest of any industry.
- The average chemist salary in the finance industry is $71,028.
- Chemists in the retail industry earn an average salary of $63,766, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for chemists
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manufacturing | $75,495 | $36.30 |
| 2 | Health Care | $71,028 | $34.15 |
| 3 | Pharmaceutical | $65,464 | $31.47 |
| 4 | Retail | $63,766 | $30.66 |
High paying chemist jobs
Chemist salary trends
The average chemist salary has risen by $7,815 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average chemist earned $57,146 annually, but today, they earn $64,961 a year. That works out to a 8% change in pay for chemists over the last decade.
Compare chemist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average chemist salary over time
Compare chemist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Chemist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $65,000 | $31.23 | +2.1% |
| 2024 | $63,600 | $30.57 | +1.0% |
| 2023 | $63,000 | $30.28 | +2.8% |
| 2022 | $61,200 | $29.44 | +1.3% |
| 2021 | $60,400 | $29.04 | +3.4% |
Recently added chemist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clean Harbors | Receiving Chemist I | Sterling, CO | 06/30/2025 | $60,523 |
| Clean Harbors | Receiving Chemist I | Sidney, NE | 06/30/2025 | $60,523 |
| Kelly Services | Chemist I (Medical) | Santa Clarita, CA | 06/28/2025 | $45,914 |
| Rxsight | Polymer Chemist | Aliso Viejo, CA | 06/28/2025 | $80,000 |
| Commonwealth of Pennsylvania | Chemist 2 | Dauphin, PA | 06/27/2025 | $59,345 |
| The Staffing Resource Group, Inc. | Chemist | Largo, FL | 06/27/2025 | $54,262 |
| State of Pennsylvania | Chemist 2 | Harrisburg, PA | 06/27/2025 | $59,345 |
| Actalent | Entry Chemist | Commerce, CA | 06/27/2025 | $48,001 |
| Heidelberg Materials | Cement Plant Chemist | Union Bridge, MD | 06/27/2025 | $82,830 |
| Infosoft, Inc. | Chemist | Darien, CT | 06/27/2025 | $73,045 |
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