SOC 19-2031 · Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations
Chemists wages by metro
National median annual wage
$91,240
- 10th percentile
- $58,460
- 25th percentile
- $69,460
- Median
- $91,240
- 75th percentile
- $125,550
- 90th percentile
- $160,830
- Mean
- $100,450
Annual wage from the May 2025 OEWS estimates.
National employment in May 2025: 82,770.
That median is 79% higher than the all-occupations national median of $50,980.
The metro and state figures below are the same May 2025 release. A blank wage means BLS did not publish it. See when a wage is not published.
Highest published medians
| Occupation | Employment | 10th | Median | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 2,490 | $82,780 | $144,680 | $195,190 |
| Bay City, MI | 250 | $97,440 | $132,480 | $161,920 |
| Midland, TX | 70 | $77,290 | $131,860 | $164,480 |
| Lexington Park, MD | 60 | $85,300 | $131,810 | $168,330 |
| Lake Charles, LA | 180 | $80,060 | $128,330 | $168,460 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 2,180 | $76,110 | $127,790 | $194,730 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 2,960 | $71,120 | $127,290 | $212,220 |
| Albuquerque, NM | 180 | $58,860 | $126,960 | $212,940 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | 50 | $64,790 | $123,840 | $157,810 |
| Spartanburg, SC | 90 | $64,730 | $122,350 | $172,280 |
| Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT | 210 | $84,930 | $121,770 | $153,390 |
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | 610 | $65,070 | $118,880 | $185,220 |
| Athens-Clarke County, GA | 110 | $64,500 | $117,990 | $151,920 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 580 | $75,990 | $114,890 | $184,590 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | 400 | $72,770 | $110,920 | $179,660 |
| Decatur, AL | 60 | $69,570 | $109,110 | $152,590 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | 80 | $68,680 | $108,010 | $150,030 |
| State College, PA | 50 | $68,730 | $107,890 | $142,040 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | 270 | $59,580 | $107,590 | $175,950 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 2,430 | $63,370 | $106,740 | $170,540 |
Where employment is largest
| Occupation | Employment | 10th | Median | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 6,750 | $60,980 | $85,150 | $144,260 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 4,520 | $63,150 | $95,440 | $163,820 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 3,190 | $59,570 | $87,060 | $135,800 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 2,960 | $71,120 | $127,290 | $212,220 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 2,630 | $62,330 | $90,920 | $145,930 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 2,490 | $82,780 | $144,680 | $195,190 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 2,430 | $63,370 | $106,740 | $170,540 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 2,180 | $76,110 | $127,790 | $194,730 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 1,420 | $61,940 | $99,280 | $158,540 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 1,370 | $61,500 | $95,160 | $158,650 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | 1,310 | $58,170 | $78,770 | $133,140 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 1,250 | $62,920 | $85,770 | $170,540 |
| Columbus, OH | 1,170 | $60,600 | $94,170 | $134,820 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | 1,140 | $63,260 | $81,580 | $137,320 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 1,090 | $66,220 | $87,990 | $168,430 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | 1,040 | $53,430 | $86,690 | $151,290 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 980 | $49,450 | $74,200 | $134,510 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | 930 | $59,450 | $96,170 | $142,690 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 850 | $57,640 | $81,270 | $148,930 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 820 | $64,120 | $102,390 | $171,250 |
States and territories
| Occupation | Employment | 10th | Median | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | 280 | $101,400 | $149,860 | $195,190 |
| Maryland | 2,480 | $75,430 | $140,670 | $195,190 |
| Delaware | 1,200 | $80,500 | $129,860 | $170,290 |
| New Mexico | 280 | $59,490 | $126,960 | $212,940 |
| Massachusetts | 3,430 | $71,120 | $125,000 | $212,210 |
| Alaska | 60 | $61,840 | $106,010 | $140,800 |
| Oregon | 730 | $70,320 | $104,590 | $157,700 |
| Louisiana | 740 | $58,310 | $103,890 | $168,460 |
| Wyoming | 80 | $52,150 | $102,000 | $127,120 |
| Colorado | 1,790 | $61,260 | $101,980 | $162,680 |
| Rhode Island | 150 | $70,210 | $101,660 | $146,830 |
| New Hampshire | 300 | $58,260 | $100,050 | $133,960 |
| Texas | 5,130 | $58,850 | $99,640 | $170,250 |
| Minnesota | 1,680 | $60,010 | $99,280 | $158,540 |
| Connecticut | 1,170 | $65,230 | $98,140 | $144,740 |
| California | 9,820 | $60,930 | $97,860 | $164,150 |
| Alabama | 700 | $61,050 | $97,830 | $150,410 |
| Michigan | 3,490 | $56,260 | $97,440 | $164,200 |
| Washington | 2,280 | $62,690 | $97,420 | $165,090 |
| North Dakota | 160 | $52,050 | $97,330 | $132,330 |
| Virginia | 1,640 | $52,870 | $96,650 | $166,230 |
| Georgia | 1,260 | $56,760 | $92,750 | $144,870 |
| New York | 4,230 | $61,100 | $90,600 | $155,190 |
| Tennessee | 960 | $48,530 | $87,930 | $132,630 |
| Vermont | 80 | $68,640 | $86,120 | $128,420 |
| Iowa | 570 | $65,270 | $86,100 | $137,560 |
| West Virginia | 180 | $59,600 | $85,560 | $132,380 |
| Ohio | 4,010 | $59,010 | $85,270 | $134,820 |
| Illinois | 3,040 | $60,740 | $85,230 | $141,310 |
| New Jersey | 5,280 | $60,910 | $84,450 | $144,030 |
| Hawaii | 140 | $63,080 | $84,150 | $126,070 |
| Kentucky | 530 | $54,950 | $84,090 | $126,060 |
| Kansas | 690 | $53,360 | $82,820 | $132,460 |
| Missouri | 1,640 | $48,240 | $82,800 | $134,940 |
| Florida | 1,490 | $50,200 | $82,740 | $150,840 |
| North Carolina | 4,530 | $58,170 | $82,620 | $132,020 |
| Arizona | 870 | $53,520 | $81,730 | $135,940 |
| Nevada | 280 | $49,220 | $81,170 | $130,800 |
| Utah | 910 | $54,350 | $80,770 | $129,990 |
| Mississippi | 200 | $52,060 | $80,060 | $130,560 |
| South Carolina | 770 | $54,420 | $79,670 | $139,570 |
| Indiana | 2,480 | $56,960 | $78,770 | $133,140 |
| Wisconsin | 1,920 | $52,020 | $78,730 | $109,450 |
| Idaho | 320 | $37,230 | $78,000 | $134,850 |
| Pennsylvania | 6,800 | $49,800 | $77,090 | $144,860 |
| Puerto Rico | 810 | $40,160 | $76,450 | $135,530 |
| Arkansas | 380 | $46,600 | $75,570 | $131,620 |
| Oklahoma | 630 | $48,520 | $74,960 | $112,920 |
| Nebraska | 350 | $62,280 | $74,890 | $128,510 |
| South Dakota | 170 | $51,270 | $67,440 | $101,030 |
| Maine | 140 | $50,640 | $64,440 | $100,360 |
| Montana | 300 | $44,260 | $61,890 | $115,390 |
Other life, physical, and social science occupations
- Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists
- Occupational Health and Safety Specialists
- Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health
- Clinical and Counseling Psychologists
- Life, Physical, and Social Science Technicians, All Other
- Biological Technicians
- School Psychologists
- Chemical Technicians
Questions this page answers
What is the national median wage for Chemists?
In the May 2025 OEWS estimates, the national median annual wage for Chemists is $91,240. Employment is 82,770.
How does Chemists pay compare with all occupations?
The national median for Chemists is 79% higher than the all-occupations median of $50,980.
Which metro has the highest published median for Chemists?
Among metros with a published annual median in the May 2025 tables, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV is highest on this page's list at $144,680.