The average salary for a chemist in the United States is $95,560, but the range typically falls between $64,940 and $118,800. This corresponds to an average hourly wage of $45.94, with a range between $31.22 and $57.12.
There are approximately 83,530 people employed as a chemist in the United States. With California, Pennsylvania, New Jersey employing the highest number of chemists.The state with the best pay for a chemist is District of Columbia, with an average annual salary of $139,600, while Nevada has the lowest average annual salary of $64,530.
| Annual Salary | Hourly Wage | |
|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile | $52,950 | $25.46 |
| 25th Percentile | $64,940 | $31.22 |
| Median | $84,680 | $40.71 |
| 75th Percentile | $118,800 | $57.12 |
| 90th Percentile | $149,550 | $71.9 |
The salary of a chemist can vary depending on the state. Below is a map of the United States showing the average annual salary for a chemist in each state. The darker the color, the higher the salary. The best states for chemists are District of Columbia, Maryland, Delaware, Massachusetts, New Mexico while the worst states are Nevada, Maine, Montana, South Dakota, Oklahoma.
| State | Low-end | Average | High-end |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $52,670 | $90,130 | $130,410 |
| Alaska | $55,120 | $91,740 | $138,520 |
| Arizona | $45,380 | $79,840 | $129,650 |
| Arkansas | $44,210 | $81,780 | $126,570 |
| California | $57,230 | $105,560 | $167,810 |
| Colorado | $52,480 | $100,500 | $156,000 |
| Connecticut | $47,650 | $100,430 | $171,680 |
| Delaware | $73,670 | $118,130 | $172,380 |
| District of Columbia | $94,180 | $139,600 | $183,500 |
| Florida | $39,980 | $80,050 | $121,860 |
| Georgia | $53,830 | $95,360 | $138,410 |
| Hawaii | $58,550 | $86,240 | $115,670 |
| Idaho | $35,680 | $75,290 | $128,440 |
| Illinois | $58,830 | $92,590 | $131,650 |
| Indiana | $48,660 | $81,370 | $126,770 |
| Iowa | $56,180 | $86,010 | $134,870 |
| Kansas | $49,260 | $83,520 | $126,550 |
| Kentucky | $48,250 | $82,110 | $119,420 |
| Louisiana | $50,320 | $102,120 | $166,840 |
| Maine | $43,120 | $64,720 | $88,930 |
| Maryland | $64,230 | $124,550 | $183,500 |
| Massachusetts | $65,470 | $116,980 | $170,770 |
| Michigan | $51,920 | $97,410 | $159,920 |
| Minnesota | $48,670 | $88,920 | $138,250 |
| Mississippi | $49,200 | $86,360 | $127,070 |
| Missouri | $54,100 | $99,370 | $159,630 |
| Montana | $50,300 | $72,390 | $103,650 |
| Nebraska | $50,320 | $78,780 | $125,180 |
| Nevada | $40,470 | $64,530 | $105,350 |
| New Hampshire | $53,660 | $84,660 | $131,860 |
| New Jersey | $62,200 | $99,860 | $149,800 |
| New Mexico | $51,710 | $103,500 | $171,240 |
| New York | $59,400 | $94,170 | $140,130 |
| North Carolina | $55,000 | $86,920 | $129,020 |
| North Dakota | $49,190 | $87,140 | $128,790 |
| Ohio | $50,210 | $87,770 | $131,150 |
| Oklahoma | $39,790 | $74,910 | $131,210 |
| Oregon | $56,050 | $84,710 | $125,770 |
| Pennsylvania | $54,760 | $82,250 | $122,940 |
| Rhode Island | $59,170 | $93,620 | $130,000 |
| South Carolina | $49,460 | $82,920 | $130,170 |
| South Dakota | $50,420 | $68,470 | $88,900 |
| Tennessee | $47,540 | $87,220 | $129,700 |
| Texas | $53,340 | $100,150 | $166,870 |
| Utah | $50,430 | $80,800 | $121,470 |
| Vermont | $64,780 | $92,300 | $145,600 |
| Virginia | $48,850 | $98,460 | $155,810 |
| Washington | $55,150 | $95,070 | $136,070 |
| West Virginia | $49,200 | $84,420 | $136,320 |
| Wisconsin | $48,020 | $76,690 | $110,020 |
| Wyoming | $50,070 | $88,220 | $107,960 |
Even between cities, the salary of a chemist can vary. For example, the areas with the highest average salary for chemists is Washington-Arlington-Alexandria area, DC with an average salary of $138,060.The city with the lowest average salary for chemists is Tallahassee, FL with an average salary of $49,660.
Areas with highest average salaries for chemists
Areas with lowest average salaries for chemists
The number of chemists in the United States has been increasing over the years. Since 2020, the number of chemists has increased by 590. On average, the number of chemists has been increasing by 0.2% each year. The salary of chemists has been increasing. Since 2020, the salary of chemists has increased by $9,150. On average, the salary of chemists has been increasing by 2.6% each year.
Chemists are part of the life, physical, and social science occupations group. Below is a comparison of the average annual salary for chemists compared to other jobs in the same occupation group. View all life, physical, and social science occupations jobs here.
$75,740 per year
$112,380 per year
$73,160 per year
$112,440 per year
$101,520 per year
$66,670 per year
