Average Salary for Chemists
SOC 19-2031 · Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations · 2024 data
The median annual wage for Chemists in the United States is $84,150 ($40.46/hr), based on 2024 BLS OEWS data. Wages range from $53,210 at the 10th percentile to $154,430 at the 90th percentile nationally. An estimated 83,250 people work in this occupation across the country. The national median wage has grown 14.5% since 2014.
Median Annual
$84,150
Mean Annual
$95,940
10th Pct
$53,210
75th Pct
$120,210
Employment
83,250
Salary Distribution
$53k
10th
$64k
25th
$84k
Median
$120k
75th
$154k
90th
Highest Paying Metro Areas
| Metro Area | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $145,430 |
| Albuquerque, NM | $137,740 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $130,830 |
| Lake Charles, LA | $130,770 |
| Midland, MI | $129,700 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | $127,860 |
| Huntsville, AL | $127,070 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $126,190 |
| Lexington Park, MD | $125,820 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $124,440 |
| Peoria, IL | $122,950 |
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $115,030 |
| Midland, TX | $111,830 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $110,300 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $109,960 |
Salary by State
| State | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $153,320 |
| New Mexico | $134,370 |
| Maryland | $131,910 |
| Massachusetts | $126,970 |
| Delaware | $125,430 |
| Louisiana | $109,150 |
| West Virginia | $108,010 |
| Texas | $101,260 |
| Virginia | $99,810 |
| Colorado | $97,380 |
| Rhode Island | $97,300 |
| Illinois | $97,170 |
| California | $97,010 |
| Alabama | $96,000 |
| Alaska | $95,300 |
| Georgia | $94,890 |
| Washington | $92,860 |
| Connecticut | $88,340 |
| New Jersey | $85,010 |
| Oregon | $84,150 |
| New York | $83,690 |
| Hawaii | $83,200 |
| Minnesota | $82,040 |
| Iowa | $81,830 |
| New Hampshire | $81,780 |
| Missouri | $81,720 |
| Vermont | $81,460 |
| Michigan | $81,410 |
| Ohio | $80,360 |
| Oklahoma | $79,990 |
| Kentucky | $79,800 |
| North Dakota | $79,350 |
| Arizona | $79,330 |
| North Carolina | $78,400 |
| Mississippi | $78,260 |
| South Carolina | $77,900 |
| Utah | $77,270 |
| Wyoming | $76,570 |
| Indiana | $75,880 |
| Wisconsin | $75,020 |
| Florida | $74,860 |
| Nevada | $72,810 |
| Puerto Rico | $71,830 |
| Arkansas | $71,080 |
| Nebraska | $67,880 |
| Kansas | $66,310 |
| Tennessee | $65,340 |
| South Dakota | $64,480 |
| Pennsylvania | $63,450 |
| Montana | $60,100 |
| Idaho | $59,460 |
| Maine | $58,750 |
Salary by Industry
National median wage for Chemists broken down by industry sector, 2024 data.
| Industry | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Oil and Gas Extraction | $171,740 |
| Oil and Gas Extraction | $171,740 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) | $134,430 |
| Federal Government, including the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $134,430 |
| Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities | $125,690 |
| Support Activities for Mining | $123,120 |
| Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction | $123,120 |
| Support Activities for Mining | $123,120 |
| Nuclear Electric Power Generation | $122,650 |
| Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution | $111,520 |
| Utilities | $109,060 |
| Utilities | $109,060 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers | $108,200 |
| Wholesale Trade Agents and Brokers | $108,200 |
| Engineering Services | $106,060 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $106,040 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $106,040 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $106,040 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $105,560 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $105,560 |
| Textile and Fabric Finishing and Fabric Coating Mills | $102,130 |
| Pipeline Transportation of Natural Gas | $101,980 |
| Pipeline Transportation | $101,840 |
| Textile Mills | $101,670 |
| Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing | $101,580 |
| Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing | $101,580 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $100,870 |
| Fossil Fuel Electric Power Generation | $100,220 |
| Grain and Oilseed Milling | $99,370 |
| Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing | $99,320 |
| Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction | $99,020 |
| Scientific Research and Development Services | $98,550 |
| Research and Development in the Physical, Engineering, and Life Sciences | $98,480 |
| Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | $98,270 |
| Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) | $97,680 |
| Professional and Commercial Equipment and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers | $96,510 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | $95,800 |
| Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | $95,680 |
| Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | $95,680 |
| Water, Sewage and Other Systems | $94,370 |
| Machinery, Equipment, and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers | $91,910 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods | $91,910 |
| Plastics Product Manufacturing | $90,530 |
| Remediation and Other Waste Management Services | $90,030 |
| Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | $89,800 |
| Hospitals | $87,250 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | $87,250 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4242 and 4246 only) | $87,200 |
| Wholesale Trade | $87,200 |
| Machinery Manufacturing | $87,070 |
| Converted Paper Product Manufacturing | $86,860 |
| Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) | $86,200 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods | $85,940 |
| Computer Systems Design and Related Services | $85,360 |
| Paper Manufacturing | $84,710 |
| Other Electrical Equipment and Component Manufacturing | $84,180 |
| Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and Component Manufacturing | $84,010 |
| Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing | $83,800 |
| Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing | $83,540 |
| Other Food Manufacturing | $83,510 |
| Manufacturing | $83,370 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4244 and 4248 only) | $83,310 |
| Warehousing and Storage | $82,570 |
| Warehousing and Storage | $82,570 |
| Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | $82,300 |
| Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $81,970 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods (4232, 4233, 4235, 4236, 4237, and 4239 only) | $81,930 |
| Chemical Manufacturing | $81,920 |
| Waste Collection | $80,710 |
| Food Manufacturing | $80,610 |
| Animal Food Manufacturing | $80,610 |
| Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Production and Processing | $80,490 |
| Primary Metal Manufacturing | $80,490 |
| Management, Scientific, and Technical Consulting Services | $80,070 |
| Construction | $79,990 |
| Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing | $79,740 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | $79,720 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $79,710 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $79,710 |
| Local Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $79,660 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $79,600 |
| Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing | $79,340 |
| Rubber Product Manufacturing | $78,970 |
| Miscellaneous Manufacturing | $78,820 |
| Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing | $78,820 |
| Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing | $78,770 |
| Mining (except Oil and Gas) | $78,600 |
| Chemical Manufacturing (3255 and 3256 only) | $78,040 |
| Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing | $77,950 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4241, 4247, and 4249 only) | $77,460 |
| Medical and Diagnostic Laboratories | $76,660 |
| Electrical Equipment Manufacturing | $76,510 |
| Other Support Services | $75,940 |
| Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction | $75,820 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3321, 3322, 3325, 3326, and 3329 only) | $75,820 |
| Beverage Manufacturing | $75,560 |
| Metal Ore Mining | $74,850 |
| Pharmacies and Drug Retailers | $74,580 |
| Ambulatory Health Care Services | $72,030 |
| Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing | $71,370 |
| Health and Personal Care Retailers | $71,180 |
| Retail Trade | $71,180 |
| Coating, Engraving, Heat Treating, and Allied Activities | $71,180 |
| Health and Personal Care Retailers | $71,180 |
| Iron and Steel Mills and Ferroalloy Manufacturing | $70,330 |
| State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $69,570 |
| State Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $69,290 |
| Educational Services | $68,540 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | $68,540 |
| Educational Services | $68,540 |
| Waste Management and Remediation Services | $68,290 |
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services | $65,030 |
| Farm Product Raw Material Merchant Wholesalers | $65,000 |
| Testing Laboratories and Services | $63,420 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | $62,050 |
| Administrative and Support Services | $61,410 |
| Waste Treatment and Disposal | $61,060 |
| Employment Services | $60,080 |
| Temporary Help Services | $59,820 |
| Sugar and Confectionery Product Manufacturing | $43,910 |
National Wage Trend
View data table
| Year | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $84,150 |
| 2023 | $84,680 |
| 2022 | $80,670 |
| 2021 | $79,430 |
| 2020 | $79,300 |
| 2019 | $77,630 |
| 2018 | $76,890 |
| 2017 | $74,740 |
| 2016 | $73,740 |
| 2015 | $71,260 |
| 2014 | $73,480 |