Chemists salary
Chemists earn a median of $91,240 a year ($43.87/hr) in the U.S. – from $61,890 in Montana to $149,860 in District of Columbia. Enter your pay below to see how you compare.
Median pay, United States$43.87/hr · $91,240 a year
Pay range
90% earn more$58,460$28.11/hr
75% earn more$69,460$33.39/hr
half earn more, half less$91,240$43.87/hr
25% earn more$125,550$60.36/hr
top 10% earn more$160,830$77.32/hr
pulled up by top earners$100,450$48.29/hr
How does my pay compare?
Enter your pay to see where you stand among chemists. Nothing you type leaves your device.
Pay by state
States ranked by median annual wage for chemists. Tap a state for its minimum wage.
280 jobs · $72.05/hr$149,860
2,480 jobs · $67.63/hr$140,670
1,200 jobs · $62.43/hr$129,860
280 jobs · $61.04/hr$126,960
3,430 jobs · $60.09/hr$125,000
60 jobs · $50.96/hr$106,010
730 jobs · $50.28/hr$104,590
740 jobs · $49.95/hr$103,890
80 jobs · $49.04/hr$102,000
1,790 jobs · $49.03/hr$101,980
150 jobs · $48.88/hr$101,660
300 jobs · $48.10/hr$100,050
5,130 jobs · $47.90/hr$99,640
1,680 jobs · $47.73/hr$99,280
1,170 jobs · $47.18/hr$98,140
9,820 jobs · $47.05/hr$97,860
700 jobs · $47.03/hr$97,830
3,490 jobs · $46.85/hr$97,440
2,280 jobs · $46.84/hr$97,420
160 jobs · $46.80/hr$97,330
1,640 jobs · $46.47/hr$96,650
1,260 jobs · $44.59/hr$92,750
4,230 jobs · $43.56/hr$90,600
960 jobs · $42.27/hr$87,930
80 jobs · $41.40/hr$86,120
570 jobs · $41.39/hr$86,100
180 jobs · $41.14/hr$85,560
4,010 jobs · $41.00/hr$85,270
3,040 jobs · $40.98/hr$85,230
5,280 jobs · $40.60/hr$84,450
140 jobs · $40.46/hr$84,150
530 jobs · $40.43/hr$84,090
690 jobs · $39.82/hr$82,820
1,640 jobs · $39.81/hr$82,800
1,490 jobs · $39.78/hr$82,740
4,530 jobs · $39.72/hr$82,620
870 jobs · $39.29/hr$81,730
280 jobs · $39.02/hr$81,170
910 jobs · $38.83/hr$80,770
200 jobs · $38.49/hr$80,060
770 jobs · $38.30/hr$79,670
2,480 jobs · $37.87/hr$78,770
1,920 jobs · $37.85/hr$78,730
320 jobs · $37.50/hr$78,000
6,800 jobs · $37.06/hr$77,090
810 jobs · $36.76/hr$76,450
380 jobs · $36.33/hr$75,570
630 jobs · $36.04/hr$74,960
350 jobs · $36.00/hr$74,890
170 jobs · $32.42/hr$67,440
140 jobs · $30.98/hr$64,440
300 jobs · $29.76/hr$61,890
Related jobs
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), SOC code 19-2031. Wages exclude the self-employed. All jobs · Minimum wage by state
Questions & answers
How much do chemists make?
The median wage for chemists in the U.S. was $43.87 an hour or $91,240 a year in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $69,460 and $125,550 a year.
Which state pays chemists the most?
District of Columbia has the highest median wage for chemists: $149,860 a year. The lowest published median is in Montana at $61,890. Living costs also differ a lot between states.
How many chemists are there?
BLS estimates 82,770 chemists were employed in the U.S. in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
What is the difference between median and average pay?
The median is the middle wage: half of workers earn more and half earn less. The average (mean) adds everyone up and divides, so a few very high earners pull it up. The median is usually the better guide to typical pay.
What does the 10th or 90th percentile mean?
The 10th percentile is the wage that only 10% of workers earn less than – often entry-level pay. The 90th percentile is the wage that only 10% earn more than – usually the most experienced or highest-paid workers.