Chemists Salaries by State
Mean and median pay, wage percentiles, employment, and top-paying metro areas for chemistss across the U.S. Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 (data.bls.gov OEWS tool /OESServices/combo/table, all-occupation crawl by area).
National mean salary $100,450 ≈ $48/hr
National median salary $91,240
Total employment 82,770 nationwide
Job Outlook, 2024–2034
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2024-2034.
Projected growth +4.9%
Faster than average
Annual openings 6,300 per year (avg)
Employment 2024→2034 86,800 → 91,000 (+4,300)
Typical entry education Bachelor's degree
Salary Map
Brighter tiles = higher average pay; dashed tiles have no data. Click a state for details.
💰 Top 5 Highest-Paying States
- District of Columbia$148,840
- Maryland$139,100
- Massachusetts$128,930
- New Mexico$128,630
- Delaware$122,170
📉 5 Lowest-Paying States
- Maine$70,750
- Montana$71,860
- South Dakota$72,750
- Oklahoma$81,250
- Wisconsin$82,560
State Rankings
| # | State | Mean | Median | Hourly | vs. U.S. | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $148,840 | $149,860 | $72 | +48.2% | 280 |
| 2 | Maryland | $139,100 | $140,670 | $67 | +38.5% | 2,480 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | $128,930 | $125,000 | $62 | +28.4% | 3,430 |
| 4 | New Mexico | $128,630 | $126,960 | $62 | +28.1% | 280 |
| 5 | Delaware | $122,170 | $129,860 | $59 | +21.6% | 1,200 |
| 6 | Oregon | $111,320 | $104,590 | $54 | +10.8% | 730 |
| 7 | Texas | $106,830 | $99,640 | $51 | +6.4% | 5,130 |
| 8 | California | $106,810 | $97,860 | $51 | +6.3% | 9,820 |
| 9 | Louisiana | $106,810 | $103,890 | $51 | +6.3% | 740 |
| 10 | Colorado | $106,480 | $101,980 | $51 | +6% | 1,790 |
| 11 | Rhode Island | $106,450 | $101,660 | $51 | +6% | 150 |
| 12 | Alaska | $104,520 | $106,010 | $50 | +4.1% | 60 |
| 13 | Washington | $104,480 | $97,420 | $50 | +4% | 2,280 |
| 14 | Virginia | $104,120 | $96,650 | $50 | +3.7% | 1,640 |
| 15 | Connecticut | $104,030 | $98,140 | $50 | +3.6% | 1,170 |
| 16 | Minnesota | $102,390 | $99,280 | $49 | +1.9% | 1,680 |
| 17 | Alabama | $101,710 | $97,830 | $49 | +1.3% | 700 |
| 18 | Michigan | $101,210 | $97,440 | $49 | +0.8% | 3,490 |
| 19 | New York | $100,920 | $90,600 | $49 | +0.5% | 4,230 |
| 20 | New Hampshire | $99,570 | $100,050 | $48 | -0.9% | 300 |
| 21 | Wyoming | $99,310 | $102,000 | $48 | -1.1% | 80 |
| 22 | Illinois | $98,420 | $85,230 | $47 | -2% | 3,040 |
| 23 | New Jersey | $96,980 | $84,450 | $47 | -3.5% | 5,280 |
| 24 | Georgia | $96,910 | $92,750 | $47 | -3.5% | 1,260 |
| 25 | North Dakota | $94,470 | $97,330 | $45 | -6% | 160 |
| 26 | Ohio | $94,470 | $85,270 | $45 | -6% | 4,010 |
| 27 | Iowa | $94,080 | $86,100 | $45 | -6.3% | 570 |
| 28 | Vermont | $92,730 | $86,120 | $45 | -7.7% | 80 |
| 29 | West Virginia | $92,500 | $85,560 | $44 | -7.9% | 180 |
| 30 | Arizona | $92,120 | $81,730 | $44 | -8.3% | 870 |
| 31 | Missouri | $92,000 | $82,800 | $44 | -8.4% | 1,640 |
| 32 | Florida | $91,600 | $82,740 | $44 | -8.8% | 1,490 |
| 33 | North Carolina | $90,800 | $82,620 | $44 | -9.6% | 4,530 |
| 34 | South Carolina | $90,130 | $79,670 | $43 | -10.3% | 770 |
| 35 | Hawaii | $90,030 | $84,150 | $43 | -10.4% | 140 |
| 36 | Tennessee | $88,400 | $87,930 | $43 | -12% | 960 |
| 37 | Kansas | $88,190 | $82,820 | $42 | -12.2% | 690 |
| 38 | Indiana | $88,080 | $78,770 | $42 | -12.3% | 2,480 |
| 39 | Pennsylvania | $87,990 | $77,090 | $42 | -12.4% | 6,800 |
| 40 | Mississippi | $87,580 | $80,060 | $42 | -12.8% | 200 |
| 41 | Arkansas | $86,800 | $75,570 | $42 | -13.6% | 380 |
| 42 | Kentucky | $86,740 | $84,090 | $42 | -13.6% | 530 |
| 43 | Nevada | $86,700 | $81,170 | $42 | -13.7% | 280 |
| 44 | Idaho | $86,120 | $78,000 | $41 | -14.3% | 320 |
| 45 | Utah | $85,710 | $80,770 | $41 | -14.7% | 910 |
| 46 | Nebraska | $84,560 | $74,890 | $41 | -15.8% | 350 |
| 47 | Wisconsin | $82,560 | $78,730 | $40 | -17.8% | 1,920 |
| 48 | Oklahoma | $81,250 | $74,960 | $39 | -19.1% | 630 |
| 49 | South Dakota | $72,750 | $67,440 | $35 | -27.6% | 170 |
| 50 | Montana | $71,860 | $61,890 | $35 | -28.5% | 300 |
| 51 | Maine | $70,750 | $64,440 | $34 | -29.6% | 140 |
Top-Paying Metro Areas
Highest median pay among 266 metro areas.
| # | Metro area | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $144,680 | $144,550 | 2,490 |
| 2 | Bay City, MI | $132,480 | $139,910 | 250 |
| 3 | Midland, TX | $131,860 | $129,190 | 70 |
| 4 | Lexington Park, MD | $131,810 | $132,480 | 60 |
| 5 | Lake Charles, LA | $128,330 | $126,650 | 180 |
| 6 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $127,790 | $130,870 | 2,180 |
| 7 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $127,290 | $130,520 | 2,960 |
| 8 | Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area | $127,120 | $112,420 | 30 |
| 9 | Albuquerque, NM | $126,960 | $127,290 | 180 |
| 10 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $123,840 | $118,150 | 50 |
Pay by Industry
Highest-paying industries employing chemistss (BLS OEWS, by median).
| # | Industry | Median | Mean | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Other Electric Power Generation | $185,150 | $153,270 | — |
| 2 | Oil and Gas Extraction | $164,430 | $191,770 | 60 |
| 3 | Oil and Gas Extraction | $164,430 | $191,770 | 60 |
| 4 | Federal Government, including the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $137,740 | $141,050 | 4,930 |
| 5 | Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) | $137,720 | $141,070 | 4,920 |
| 6 | Nuclear Electric Power Generation | $130,510 | $130,590 | 310 |
| 7 | Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution | $125,960 | $125,080 | 550 |
| 8 | Utilities | $123,380 | $122,730 | 610 |
| 9 | Sector 22 - Utilities | $123,380 | $122,730 | 610 |
| 10 | Motor Vehicle and Motor Vehicle Parts and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers | $122,690 | $105,540 | — |
| 11 | Tobacco Manufacturing | $122,210 | $119,400 | 50 |
| 12 | Social Advocacy Organizations | $120,570 | $111,580 | 50 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do chemists make in the U.S.?
The median chemists salary in the United States is $91,240 per year (mean $100,450), and about 80% earn between $58,460 and $160,830.
How much do chemists make per hour?
Roughly $48 per hour, based on a mean annual wage of $100,450 and 2,080 work hours per year.
Which state pays chemists the most?
District of Columbia has the highest average pay for chemists at $148,840 per year (median $149,860).
What is the job outlook for chemists?
Employment is projected to change +4.9% from 2024 to 2034 (Faster than average), with about 6,300 openings per year.
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Common U.S. search queries related to this occupation.
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