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Staff chemist salary
Average staff chemist salary
$84,235
Understanding Staff Chemist Salaries
A Staff Chemist typically earns an average salary of $84,235 annually, translating to about $41 per hour. Salaries can vary based on several factors, including geographic location, years of experience, and the specific industry in which one works. For instance, chemists in metropolitan areas often earn more due to the higher cost of living and increased demand for specialized skills.
In terms of industry, pharmaceutical and biotechnology sectors tend to offer the highest salaries, reflecting the advanced knowledge and expertise required in these fields. In addition, chemists with more years of experience can command higher salaries, making professional development and further education essential for career advancement.
Top Paying States and Cities
Some of the highest paying states for Staff Chemists include California, Massachusetts, and New Jersey. Cities such as San Francisco, Boston, and Newark consistently rank among the top locations for competitive salaries in the chemistry field. For job seekers, targeting these regions can enhance earning potential and provide access to leading employers.
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Where can a Staff Chemist earn more?
Average staff chemist salary by state
The highest-paying states for staff chemists are Delaware, Washington, and New Jersey. The lowest average staff chemist salary states are Nebraska, Hawaii, and Florida.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for staff chemists
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rhode Island | $90,342 | $43.43 |
| 2 | District of Columbia | $104,154 | $50.07 |
| 3 | Washington | $92,447 | $44.45 |
| 4 | Delaware | $109,166 | $52.48 |
| 5 | Vermont | $87,273 | $41.96 |
| 6 | New Jersey | $91,420 | $43.95 |
| 7 | Tennessee | $89,753 | $43.15 |
| 8 | New York | $88,415 | $42.51 |
| 9 | Connecticut | $85,280 | $41.00 |
| 10 | Oklahoma | $90,400 | $43.46 |
| 11 | Massachusetts | $82,392 | $39.61 |
| 12 | Ohio | $82,566 | $39.70 |
| 13 | Maryland | $89,816 | $43.18 |
| 14 | West Virginia | $82,029 | $39.44 |
| 15 | Virginia | $88,017 | $42.32 |
| 16 | Michigan | $83,567 | $40.18 |
| 17 | Indiana | $78,722 | $37.85 |
| 18 | Missouri | $81,652 | $39.26 |
| 19 | Texas | $78,066 | $37.53 |
| 20 | Utah | $75,877 | $36.48 |
| 21 | New Mexico | $81,235 | $39.06 |
| 22 | Kentucky | $78,225 | $37.61 |
| 23 | South Carolina | $80,692 | $38.79 |
| 24 | Nevada | $74,412 | $35.77 |
| 25 | California | $89,993 | $43.27 |
| 26 | Iowa | $75,094 | $36.10 |
| 27 | Alabama | $69,465 | $33.40 |
| 28 | Illinois | $70,746 | $34.01 |
| 29 | Georgia | $74,314 | $35.73 |
| 30 | Pennsylvania | $66,465 | $31.95 |
| 31 | Kansas | $72,413 | $34.81 |
| 32 | New Hampshire | $74,748 | $35.94 |
| 33 | Louisiana | $69,947 | $33.63 |
| 34 | Arizona | $68,665 | $33.01 |
| 35 | Oregon | $68,636 | $33.00 |
| 36 | Colorado | $68,122 | $32.75 |
| 37 | Idaho | $70,133 | $33.72 |
| 38 | Arkansas | $63,447 | $30.50 |
| 39 | Hawaii | $56,805 | $27.31 |
| 40 | Mississippi | $69,671 | $33.50 |
| 41 | Wisconsin | $65,045 | $31.27 |
| 42 | Minnesota | $66,169 | $31.81 |
| 43 | Florida | $55,172 | $26.52 |
| 44 | North Carolina | $65,466 | $31.47 |
| 45 | Alaska | $60,484 | $29.08 |
| 46 | Maine | $51,870 | $24.94 |
| 47 | Montana | $64,065 | $30.80 |
| 48 | Nebraska | $57,988 | $27.88 |
| 49 | North Dakota | $58,810 | $28.27 |
| 50 | Wyoming | $48,452 | $23.29 |
| 51 | South Dakota | $48,053 | $23.10 |
Highest paying cities for staff chemists
The highest-paying cities for staff chemists are Berkeley, CA, Rahway, NJ, and Charlottesville, VA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Berkeley, CA | $99,304 | $47.74 |
| 2 | Rahway, NJ | $91,474 | $43.98 |
| 3 | Charlottesville, VA | $87,520 | $42.08 |
| 4 | Saint Louis, MO | $83,630 | $40.21 |
| 5 | Boston, MA | $81,980 | $39.41 |
| 6 | Corvallis, OR | $70,178 | $33.74 |
| 7 | Denver, CO | $67,806 | $32.60 |
| 8 | Minneapolis, MN | $66,295 | $31.87 |
| 9 | Bethel Park, PA | $64,960 | $31.23 |
| 10 | Appleton, WI | $63,571 | $30.56 |
Staff chemist salary details
A staff chemist's salary ranges from $55,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $127,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a staff chemist's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $127,000 | $10,583 | $61 |
| 75th Percentile | $104,000 | $8,667 | $50 |
| Average | $84,235 | $7,020 | $41 |
| 25th Percentile | $67,000 | $5,583 | $32 |
| 10th Percentile | $55,000 | $4,583 | $26 |
Highest paying staff chemist jobs
The highest paying types of staff chemists are senior research chemist, senior chemist, and analytical research chemist.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Research And Development Chemist | $77,233 | $6,436 | $37.13 | 100,225 |
| Chemist, Development | $71,571 | $5,964 | $34.41 | 57,547 |
| Quality Control Chemist | $58,892 | $4,908 | $28.31 | 90,467 |
| Analytical Research Chemist | $81,763 | $6,814 | $39.31 | 62,289 |
| Quality Assurance Chemist | $59,242 | $4,937 | $28.48 | 66,457 |
| Formulation Chemist | $66,678 | $5,557 | $32.06 | 3,011 |
Top companies hiring staff chemists now:
Which companies pay staff chemists the most?
Staff chemist salaries at Seagate Technology and BASF are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average staff chemist salary at companies like Champion Technologies and Johnson Matthey Plc are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seagate Technology | $107,099 | $51.49 |
| 2 | BASF | $100,588 | $48.36 |
| 3 | Champion Technologies | $93,063 | $44.74 |
| 4 | Johnson Matthey Plc | $90,181 | $43.36 |
| 5 | Sherwin-Williams | $85,080 | $40.90 |
| 6 | Merck | $83,747 | $40.26 |
| 7 | Pacific Architects and Engineers | $76,417 | $36.74 |
| 8 | HydroGeoLogic | $71,365 | $34.31 |
| 9 | Inpria | $70,691 | $33.99 |
| 10 | Manufacturing Resources International | $70,659 | $33.97 |
| 11 | Environmental Standards | $70,586 | $33.94 |
| 12 | QD Vision | $70,394 | $33.84 |
| 13 | Mallinckrodt | $63,160 | $30.37 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Staff Chemist salary by industry
The average staff chemist salary varies across industries:
- The average staff chemist salary in the manufacturing industry is $93,640, the highest of any industry.
- The average staff chemist salary in the finance industry is $83,802.
- Staff chemists in the energy industry earn an average salary of $63,686, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for staff chemists
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Manufacturing | $93,640 | $45.02 |
| 2 | Pharmaceutical | $83,802 | $40.29 |
| 3 | Technology | $72,261 | $34.74 |
| 4 | Energy | $63,686 | $30.62 |
High paying staff chemist jobs
Staff chemist salary trends
The average staff chemist salary has risen by $10,134 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average staff chemist earned $74,101 annually, but today, they earn $84,235 a year. That works out to a 8% change in pay for staff chemists over the last decade.
Compare staff chemist salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average staff chemist salary over time
Compare staff chemist salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Staff chemist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $84,200 | $40.50 | +2.1% |
| 2024 | $82,500 | $39.64 | +1.0% |
| 2023 | $81,700 | $39.27 | +2.8% |
| 2022 | $79,400 | $38.17 | +1.3% |
| 2021 | $78,300 | $37.66 | +3.4% |
Recently added staff chemist salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Akoya Biosciences | Staff Chemist : R&D | Marlborough, MA | 04/08/2025 | $165,000 |
| ECC | Staff Chemist | Edison, NJ | 10/23/2024 | $48,000 |
| ECC | Staff Chemist | Maryland | 10/23/2024 | $48,000 |
| ECC | Staff Chemist | Lakewood, CO | 10/23/2024 | $48,000 |
| Environmental Chemical Corp | Staff Chemist | Hudson, MA | 10/17/2024 | $48,000 |
| Stanford University | Staff Radiochemist (Multiple Positions) | Stanford, CA | 10/05/2024 | $105,446 |
| Twelve Benefit Corporation | Staff Chemist-Catalyst | Berkeley, CA | 05/02/2024 | $165,635 |
| Stryker Corporation | Staff Chemist, Project Specialist | Cary, IL | 04/02/2024 | $67,974 |
| Brigham and Women's Hospital | Staff Pet Radiochemist | Boston, MA | 10/26/2023 | $108,264 |
| Brigham and Women's Hospital | Staff Pet Radiochemist | Boston, MA | 10/26/2023 | $108,264 |
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