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Best states for a senior research chemist
Quoted expert
Anuradha Vummenthala
- Rank 1 - 10
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Job opportunities vary from state to state, and life, physical, and social science careers are no different. Because we know how difficult it can be to know which states are the best when it comes to senior research chemist jobs, we decided to crunch some numbers to bring you the best states for senior research chemists.Our research found that Vermont is the best state for senior research chemists, while Washington and Vermont are ranked highest in terms of median salary. Vermont has a median salary of $118,031 and Washington has the highest median salary among all 50 states for senior research chemists.
The median salary for senior research chemists in Vermont is $118,031. Compare that to the median salary in South Dakota of $63,447, which ranked worst for senior research chemists, and you can see how your location is important for your career.Vermont is the best state, and Bremerton is the city with the highest pay for senior research chemists.
10 best states for senior research chemists in 2025
1. Vermont
Total senior research chemist jobs: 90 Average annual salary: $118,031 Lowest 10 percent earn: $85,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $162,000 Location Quotient: 1.4
2. Delaware
Total senior research chemist jobs: 122 Average annual salary: $112,170 Lowest 10 percent earn: $81,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $154,000 Location Quotient: 1.16
3. Rhode Island
Total senior research chemist jobs: 132 Average annual salary: $104,623 Lowest 10 percent earn: $75,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $144,000 Location Quotient: 1.3
4. California
Total senior research chemist jobs: 4,448 Average annual salary: $110,737 Lowest 10 percent earn: $75,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $161,000 Location Quotient: 1.82
5. Tennessee
Total senior research chemist jobs: 489 Average annual salary: $106,399 Lowest 10 percent earn: $77,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $145,000 Location Quotient: 1
6. Washington
Total senior research chemist jobs: 413 Average annual salary: $135,566 Lowest 10 percent earn: $97,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $188,000 Location Quotient: 0.68
7. Massachusetts
Total senior research chemist jobs: 827 Average annual salary: $106,046 Lowest 10 percent earn: $76,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $146,000 Location Quotient: 1.08
8. Utah
Total senior research chemist jobs: 297 Average annual salary: $99,422 Lowest 10 percent earn: $70,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $140,000 Location Quotient: 1.11
9. Oklahoma
Total senior research chemist jobs: 196 Average annual salary: $107,249 Lowest 10 percent earn: $78,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $146,000 Location Quotient: 0.76
10. Michigan
Total senior research chemist jobs: 748 Average annual salary: $93,852 Lowest 10 percent earn: $68,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $128,000 Location Quotient: 1.15
Senior research chemist jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a senior research chemist
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a senior research chemist
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vermont | $118,031 | $85,000 | 623,657 | 90 |
| 2 | Delaware | $112,170 | $81,000 | 961,939 | 122 |
| 3 | Rhode Island | $104,623 | $75,000 | 1,059,639 | 132 |
| 4 | California | $110,737 | $75,000 | 39,536,653 | 4,448 |
| 5 | Tennessee | $106,399 | $77,000 | 6,715,984 | 489 |
| 6 | Washington | $135,566 | $97,000 | 7,405,743 | 413 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $106,046 | $76,000 | 6,859,819 | 827 |
| 8 | Utah | $99,422 | $70,000 | 3,101,833 | 297 |
| 9 | Oklahoma | $107,249 | $78,000 | 3,930,864 | 196 |
| 10 | Michigan | $93,852 | $68,000 | 9,962,311 | 748 |
| 11 | Minnesota | $96,139 | $71,000 | 5,576,606 | 682 |
| 12 | New Jersey | $99,761 | $72,000 | 9,005,644 | 844 |
| 13 | Texas | $101,046 | $71,000 | 28,304,596 | 1,403 |
| 14 | District of Columbia | $117,845 | $85,000 | 693,972 | 80 |
| 15 | New Mexico | $96,250 | $68,000 | 2,088,070 | 162 |
| 16 | Virginia | $99,750 | $72,000 | 8,470,020 | 791 |
| 17 | Idaho | $98,902 | $70,000 | 1,716,943 | 113 |
| 18 | Montana | $98,183 | $72,000 | 1,050,493 | 81 |
| 19 | Connecticut | $96,696 | $69,000 | 3,588,184 | 321 |
| 20 | West Virginia | $93,945 | $68,000 | 1,815,857 | 109 |
| 21 | Maryland | $109,692 | $79,000 | 6,052,177 | 232 |
| 22 | New Hampshire | $92,948 | $67,000 | 1,342,795 | 166 |
| 23 | Oregon | $91,999 | $65,000 | 4,142,776 | 512 |
| 24 | Alaska | $103,084 | $80,000 | 739,795 | 2 |
| 25 | South Carolina | $95,503 | $69,000 | 5,024,369 | 149 |
| 26 | Colorado | $89,677 | $65,000 | 5,607,154 | 667 |
| 27 | Kentucky | $91,626 | $67,000 | 4,454,189 | 183 |
| 28 | Illinois | $88,554 | $65,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,147 |
| 29 | Iowa | $90,510 | $67,000 | 3,145,711 | 196 |
| 30 | Kansas | $89,466 | $66,000 | 2,913,123 | 196 |
| 31 | Ohio | $86,657 | $63,000 | 11,658,609 | 766 |
| 32 | North Carolina | $88,168 | $64,000 | 10,273,419 | 687 |
| 33 | Georgia | $89,521 | $65,000 | 10,429,379 | 717 |
| 34 | Missouri | $85,371 | $62,000 | 6,113,532 | 517 |
| 35 | Pennsylvania | $81,345 | $58,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,120 |
| 36 | Indiana | $84,375 | $61,000 | 6,666,818 | 507 |
| 37 | Nevada | $88,930 | $61,000 | 2,998,039 | 91 |
| 38 | Arizona | $82,193 | $57,000 | 7,016,270 | 495 |
| 39 | North Dakota | $84,009 | $63,000 | 755,393 | 55 |
| 40 | Hawaii | $80,370 | $61,000 | 1,427,538 | 65 |
| 41 | Alabama | $82,759 | $59,000 | 4,874,747 | 160 |
| 42 | Mississippi | $81,503 | $58,000 | 2,984,100 | 106 |
| 43 | Wisconsin | $77,342 | $57,000 | 5,795,483 | 418 |
| 44 | Louisiana | $82,352 | $58,000 | 4,684,333 | 166 |
| 45 | Maine | $70,258 | $51,000 | 1,335,907 | 114 |
| 46 | Nebraska | $74,256 | $55,000 | 1,920,076 | 175 |
| 47 | Wyoming | $69,087 | $50,000 | 579,315 | 51 |
| 48 | New York | $86,507 | $62,000 | 19,849,399 | 398 |
| 49 | Florida | $68,368 | $48,000 | 20,984,400 | 1,264 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $75,781 | $55,000 | 3,004,279 | 126 |
| 51 | South Dakota | $63,447 | $47,000 | 869,666 | 76 |
Highest paying states for senior research chemists
| Rank | State | Avg. Senior Research Chemist Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vermont | $118,031 |
| 2 | Delaware | $112,170 |
| 3 | Rhode Island | $104,623 |
| 4 | California | $110,737 |
| 5 | Tennessee | $106,399 |
| 6 | Washington | $135,566 |
| 7 | Massachusetts | $106,046 |
| 8 | Utah | $99,422 |
| 9 | Oklahoma | $107,249 |
| 10 | Michigan | $93,852 |
| 11 | Minnesota | $96,139 |
| 12 | New Jersey | $99,761 |
| 13 | Texas | $101,046 |
| 14 | District of Columbia | $117,845 |
| 15 | New Mexico | $96,250 |
| 16 | Virginia | $99,750 |
| 17 | Idaho | $98,902 |
| 18 | Montana | $98,183 |
| 19 | Connecticut | $96,696 |
| 20 | West Virginia | $93,945 |
| 21 | Maryland | $109,692 |
| 22 | New Hampshire | $92,948 |
| 23 | Oregon | $91,999 |
| 24 | Alaska | $103,084 |
| 25 | South Carolina | $95,503 |
| 26 | Colorado | $89,677 |
| 27 | Kentucky | $91,626 |
| 28 | Illinois | $88,554 |
| 29 | Iowa | $90,510 |
| 30 | Kansas | $89,466 |
| 31 | Ohio | $86,657 |
| 32 | North Carolina | $88,168 |
| 33 | Georgia | $89,521 |
| 34 | Missouri | $85,371 |
| 35 | Pennsylvania | $81,345 |
| 36 | Indiana | $84,375 |
| 37 | Nevada | $88,930 |
| 38 | Arizona | $82,193 |
| 39 | North Dakota | $84,009 |
| 40 | Hawaii | $80,370 |
| 41 | Alabama | $82,759 |
| 42 | Mississippi | $81,503 |
| 43 | Wisconsin | $77,342 |
| 44 | Louisiana | $82,352 |
| 45 | Maine | $70,258 |
| 46 | Nebraska | $74,256 |
| 47 | Wyoming | $69,087 |
| 48 | New York | $86,507 |
| 49 | Florida | $68,368 |
| 50 | Arkansas | $75,781 |
| 51 | South Dakota | $63,447 |
Expert opinions on the best states for senior research chemists
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for senior research chemists to find work opportunities?
Anuradha Vummenthala
Assistant Professor of Chemistry, Maryville University
The East Coast and West Coast are hubs for chemistry job opportunities. Texas is another place where options are plenty. The St. Louis area also has ample opportunities for chemistry graduate students by pharmaceutical, agrochemicals, and many startups.
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Updated January 8, 2025