Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Chemist scientist salary
Average chemist scientist salary
$82,078
Average Chemist Scientist Salary
The average salary for a chemist scientist stands at $82,078 annually. However, salaries can fluctuate widely based on a variety of factors, including geographical location and years of experience. For example, chemist scientists in high-demand areas or specialized sectors may command higher salaries.
Where Can a Chemist Scientist Earn More?
Some of the highest paying states for chemist scientists include California, Massachusetts, and New York, where salaries often exceed the national average. Additionally, urban centers like San Francisco and Boston frequently offer competitive pay due to their concentration of pharmaceutical and biotech industries.
Highest Paying Industries
Industries such as pharmaceutical manufacturing, environmental consulting, and chemical production typically offer the most lucrative positions for chemist scientists. Those looking to advance their careers should consider specializing in these fields to maximize their earning potential.
Let Zippia find your next chemist scientist job
Let Zippia find your next chemist scientist job
Where can a Chemist Scientist earn more?
Average chemist scientist salary by state
The highest-paying states for chemist scientists are Washington, Delaware, and California. The lowest average chemist scientist salary states are Nebraska, North Carolina, and Maine.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for chemist scientists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Delaware | $102,387 | $49.22 |
| 2 | Washington | $106,518 | $51.21 |
| 3 | California | $95,821 | $46.07 |
| 4 | Vermont | $90,848 | $43.68 |
| 5 | New Jersey | $85,426 | $41.07 |
| 6 | Maryland | $85,524 | $41.12 |
| 7 | Rhode Island | $85,145 | $40.94 |
| 8 | Utah | $85,271 | $41.00 |
| 9 | Massachusetts | $82,539 | $39.68 |
| 10 | Virginia | $82,896 | $39.85 |
| 11 | New Mexico | $79,847 | $38.39 |
| 12 | Texas | $85,754 | $41.23 |
| 13 | Tennessee | $86,508 | $41.59 |
| 14 | District of Columbia | $98,110 | $47.17 |
| 15 | Oklahoma | $90,290 | $43.41 |
| 16 | Idaho | $81,049 | $38.97 |
| 17 | Missouri | $80,834 | $38.86 |
| 18 | New York | $78,788 | $37.88 |
| 19 | Ohio | $77,893 | $37.45 |
| 20 | Montana | $76,557 | $36.81 |
| 21 | Michigan | $79,031 | $38.00 |
| 22 | West Virginia | $77,781 | $37.39 |
| 23 | New Hampshire | $73,850 | $35.50 |
| 24 | Oregon | $76,352 | $36.71 |
| 25 | South Carolina | $76,247 | $36.66 |
| 26 | Indiana | $74,830 | $35.98 |
| 27 | Colorado | $75,334 | $36.22 |
| 28 | Arizona | $74,467 | $35.80 |
| 29 | Kansas | $73,318 | $35.25 |
| 30 | Iowa | $72,823 | $35.01 |
| 31 | Connecticut | $70,865 | $34.07 |
| 32 | Nevada | $74,617 | $35.87 |
| 33 | Kentucky | $74,513 | $35.82 |
| 34 | Alaska | $68,974 | $33.16 |
| 35 | Pennsylvania | $64,212 | $30.87 |
| 36 | North Dakota | $63,711 | $30.63 |
| 37 | Illinois | $67,276 | $32.34 |
| 38 | Louisiana | $71,815 | $34.53 |
| 39 | Georgia | $71,431 | $34.34 |
| 40 | Wisconsin | $62,888 | $30.23 |
| 41 | Hawaii | $65,504 | $31.49 |
| 42 | Minnesota | $66,634 | $32.04 |
| 43 | North Carolina | $58,742 | $28.24 |
| 44 | Alabama | $67,722 | $32.56 |
| 45 | Mississippi | $67,973 | $32.68 |
| 46 | South Dakota | $49,925 | $24.00 |
| 47 | Wyoming | $55,847 | $26.85 |
| 48 | Maine | $58,304 | $28.03 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $62,937 | $30.26 |
| 50 | Nebraska | $59,286 | $28.50 |
| 51 | Florida | $49,507 | $23.80 |
Highest paying cities for chemist scientists
The highest-paying cities for chemist scientists are Berkeley, CA, Arlington, TX, and Salisbury, MD.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Berkeley, CA | $104,867 | $50.42 |
| 2 | Arlington, TX | $86,607 | $41.64 |
| 3 | Salisbury, MD | $85,940 | $41.32 |
| 4 | Boston, MA | $82,386 | $39.61 |
| 5 | Corvallis, OR | $77,259 | $37.14 |
| 6 | Danbury, CT | $70,972 | $34.12 |
| 7 | West Chicago, IL | $67,321 | $32.37 |
Chemist scientist salary details
A chemist scientist's salary ranges from $56,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $119,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a chemist scientist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $119,000 | $9,917 | $57 |
| 75th Percentile | $99,000 | $8,250 | $48 |
| Average | $82,078 | $6,840 | $39 |
| 25th Percentile | $67,000 | $5,583 | $32 |
| 10th Percentile | $56,000 | $4,667 | $27 |
Highest paying chemist scientist jobs
The highest paying types of chemist scientists 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 | $32,824 | $2,735 | $15.78 | 83,496 |
| Microbiologist | $54,620 | $4,552 | $26.26 | 11,444 |
| Research And Development Chemist | $77,233 | $6,436 | $37.13 | 100,225 |
| Quality Control Chemist | $58,892 | $4,908 | $28.31 | 90,467 |
| Analytical Chemist | $61,573 | $5,131 | $29.60 | 14,661 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for chemist scientists, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Kimberley Cousins
John M. Pfau Endowed Professor and Department Chair, California State University San Bernardino
Top companies hiring chemist scientists now:
Which companies pay chemist scientists the most?
Chemist scientist salaries at Entegris and Illumina are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average chemist scientist salary at companies like Halliburton and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Entegris | $108,553 | $52.19 |
| 2 | Illumina | $102,133 | $49.10 |
| 3 | Halliburton | $98,276 | $47.25 |
| 4 | Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory | $92,873 | $44.65 |
| 5 | Masonite | $88,535 | $42.56 |
| 6 | H.B. Fuller | $84,561 | $40.65 |
| 7 | Infinity Pharmaceuticals | $81,275 | $39.07 |
| 8 | Pharmaceutical Product Development | $81,145 | $39.01 |
| 9 | National Renewable Energy Laboratory | $79,460 | $38.20 |
| 10 | Invagen Pharmaceuticals Inc. | $78,399 | $37.69 |
| 11 | Als Enviromental Services | $76,663 | $36.86 |
| 12 | RITA | $76,639 | $36.85 |
| 13 | Exponent | $75,579 | $36.34 |
| 14 | Dana-Farber Cancer Institute | $72,453 | $34.83 |
| 15 | UCB | $69,963 | $33.64 |
| 16 | Management Recruiters International(MRI) | $68,216 | $32.80 |
| 17 | Cadista Pharmaceuticals | $66,999 | $32.21 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Chemist Scientist salary by industry
The average chemist scientist salary varies across industries:
- The average chemist scientist salary in the technology industry is $90,595, the highest of any industry.
- The average chemist scientist salary in the finance industry is $90,485.
- Chemist scientists in the health care industry earn an average salary of $71,858, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for chemist scientists
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Technology | $90,595 | $43.56 |
| 2 | Energy | $90,485 | $43.50 |
| 3 | Manufacturing | $86,012 | $41.35 |
| 4 | Pharmaceutical | $78,182 | $37.59 |
| 5 | Professional | $77,867 | $37.44 |
| 6 | Health Care | $71,858 | $34.55 |
High paying chemist scientist jobs
Chemist scientist salary trends
The average chemist scientist salary has risen by $9,874 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average chemist scientist earned $72,204 annually, but today, they earn $82,078 a year. That works out to a 8% change in pay for chemist scientists over the last decade.
Compare chemist scientist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average chemist scientist salary over time
Compare chemist scientist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Chemist scientist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $82,100 | $39.46 | +2.1% |
| 2024 | $80,300 | $38.63 | +1.0% |
| 2023 | $79,600 | $38.26 | +2.8% |
| 2022 | $77,400 | $37.19 | +1.3% |
| 2021 | $76,300 | $36.69 | +3.4% |
Recently added chemist scientist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Framatome | Scientist/Chemist | Lynchburg, VA | 05/03/2025 | $65,000 |
| Exponent | Chemist/Polymer Scientist (PH.D.) | Menlo Park, CA | 04/28/2025 | $124,800 |
| Framatome | Scientist-Chemist Supervisor | Richland, WA | 04/12/2025 | $123,000 |
| Exponent | Chemist/Polymer Scientist (PH.D.) | Menlo Park, CA | 03/27/2025 | $124,800 |
| Exponent | Chemist/Polymer Scientist (PH.D.) | Menlo Park, CA | 02/26/2025 | $124,800 |
| WSP USA | Chemist/Scientist | Morristown, NJ | 02/25/2025 | $67,300 |
| WSP USA | Chemist/Scientist | Buffalo, NY | 02/25/2025 | $67,300 |
| Tappi | Polymer Scientist, Polymer Chemist, or Polymer Engineer | Houston, TX | 02/17/2025 | $55,000 |
| Acecva | Polymer Scientist, Polymer Chemist, or Polymer Engineer | Houston, TX | 02/16/2025 | $55,000 |
| Akoya Biosciences | Scientist I: Bioconjugation Chemist/Biochemist | Marlborough, MA | 02/06/2025 | $105,000 |
Chemist scientist salary FAQs
Search for chemist scientist jobs