Chemists Salary by City

Top 15 cities for chemists by average salary

Washington, DC	$144,550
Bay City, MI	$139,910
Lexington Park, MD	$132,480
San Francisco, CA	$130,870
Boston, MA	$130,520
Midland, TX	$129,190
Albuquerque, NM	$127,290
Lake Charles, LA	$126,650
Crestview, FL	$123,880
Albany, NY	$122,210
Baltimore, MD	$121,890
San Jose, CA	$121,350
Spartanburg, SC	$120,730
Midland, MI	$120,450
Houston, TX	$118,290

Average annual wage, BLS OEWS May 2025.

Map: Chemists salary by metro area

Loading map…

lower payhigher pay

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Chemists salary by state

State	Metros	Highest average	Lowest average
Washington, D.C.	1	$144,550	$144,550
Michigan	8	$139,910	$69,470
Maryland	3	$132,480	$90,020
California	19	$130,870	$79,770
Massachusetts	2	$130,520	$110,690
Texas	12	$129,190	$69,780
New Mexico	1	$127,290	$127,290
Louisiana	4	$126,650	$86,900
Florida	12	$123,880	$61,430
New York	7	$122,210	$93,700
South Carolina	4	$120,730	$79,220
Illinois	4	$116,760	$80,050
Connecticut	5	$116,490	$89,920
Alabama	6	$114,740	$83,990
Georgia	5	$111,760	$83,480
New Jersey	2	$111,320	$99,340
Indiana	8	$111,000	$73,960
Colorado	5	$110,740	$94,940
Ohio	9	$109,660	$69,820
Oregon	4	$107,360	$98,260
Rhode Island	1	$107,140	$107,140
Washington	7	$106,460	$79,530
Pennsylvania	9	$104,540	$61,200
Minnesota	2	$103,770	$102,950
Iowa	5	$102,990	$75,460
Virginia	6	$102,100	$74,510
New Hampshire	1	$102,020	$102,020
Alaska	1	$100,990	$100,990
Tennessee	4	$100,300	$60,870
Kansas	3	$100,120	$67,160
Missouri	6	$98,920	$74,650
Idaho	2	$98,850	$85,150
North Carolina	9	$98,530	$74,940
Utah	3	$94,310	$81,100
Wisconsin	7	$93,080	$77,300
Vermont	1	$91,510	$91,510
Hawaii	1	$91,470	$91,470
Kentucky	3	$90,450	$74,890
West Virginia	3	$89,880	$80,200
Nevada	2	$89,840	$87,990
Oklahoma	2	$88,310	$76,080
Mississippi	1	$88,280	$88,280
Nebraska	2	$87,380	$84,650
Arizona	1	$86,510	$86,510
Delaware	1	$85,320	$85,320
South Dakota	1	$82,850	$82,850
Puerto Rico	2	$82,300	$54,830
North Dakota	1	$78,930	$78,930
Maine	1	$77,560	$77,560
Montana	2	$70,470	$66,200
Arkansas	1	$64,670	$64,670

Chemists salary in every city we cover

Sort by any column. Each city links to its pay range, take-home pay and cost of living.

Metro area	Average	Median	Hourly	Jobs
Washington, DC	$144,550	$144,680	$69.50	2,490
Bay City, MI	$139,910	$132,480	$67.26	250
Lexington Park, MD	$132,480	$131,810	$63.69	60
San Francisco, CA	$130,870	$127,790	$62.92	2,180
Boston, MA	$130,520	$127,290	$62.75	2,960
Midland, TX	$129,190	$131,860	$62.11	70
Albuquerque, NM	$127,290	$126,960	$61.20	180
Lake Charles, LA	$126,650	$128,330	$60.89	180
Crestview, FL	$123,880	$105,770	$59.56	30
Albany, NY	$122,210	$110,920	$58.76	400
Baltimore, MD	$121,890	$118,880	$58.60	610
San Jose, CA	$121,350	$114,890	$58.34	580
Spartanburg, SC	$120,730	$122,350	$58.05	90
Midland, MI	$120,450	$105,710	$57.91	240
Houston, TX	$118,290	$106,740	$56.87	2,430
Palm Bay, FL	$118,150	$123,840	$56.80	50
Peoria, IL	$116,760	$105,370	$56.14	50
Norwich, CT	$116,490	$121,770	$56.01	210
Decatur, AL	$114,740	$109,110	$55.16	60
Baton Rouge, LA	$114,620	$107,590	$55.11	270
Huntsville, AL	$112,300	$101,500	$53.99	130
Athens, GA	$111,760	$117,990	$53.73	110
Atlantic City, NJ	$111,320	$105,610	$53.52	40
Evansville, IN	$111,000	$95,210	$53.36	140
Denver, CO	$110,740	$102,390	$53.24	820
Worcester, MA	$110,690	$100,720	$53.22	370
Dayton, OH	$109,660	$104,510	$52.72	230
Boulder, CO	$109,180	$105,590	$52.49	500
New Haven, CT	$109,030	$97,610	$52.42	200
Longview, TX	$107,820	$99,880	$51.84	30
Eugene, OR	$107,360	$102,460	$51.61	70
Providence, RI	$107,140	$100,730	$51.51	190
Bremerton, WA	$106,460	$108,010	$51.19	80
Beaumont, TX	$106,180	$99,390	$51.05	160
Bridgeport, CT	$105,920	$99,530	$50.92	290
Olympia, WA	$105,790	$93,340	$50.86	50
Bakersfield, CA	$105,620	$97,570	$50.78	190
Salinas, CA	$104,930	$95,080	$50.45	30
Scranton, PA	$104,540	$88,530	$50.26	80
Pensacola, FL	$104,450	$97,470	$50.21	40
Minneapolis, MN	$103,770	$99,280	$49.89	1,420
Kalamazoo, MI	$103,630	$105,220	$49.82	230
Philadelphia, PA	$103,090	$95,440	$49.56	4,520
Portland, OR	$103,080	$94,990	$49.56	430
Davenport, IA	$102,990	$103,980	$49.52	50
Duluth, MN	$102,950	$91,560	$49.50	50
Seattle, WA	$102,470	$87,990	$49.27	1,090
Blacksburg, VA	$102,100	$96,650	$49.09	80
Atlanta, GA	$102,070	$97,930	$49.07	730
Manchester, NH	$102,020	$100,090	$49.05	90
State College, PA	$101,480	$107,890	$48.79	50
San Diego, CA	$101,250	$95,160	$48.68	1,370
Birmingham, AL	$101,050	$82,790	$48.58	170
Anchorage, AK	$100,990	$106,000	$48.55	40
Corpus Christi, TX	$100,890	$93,410	$48.51	80
Greeley, CO	$100,860	$87,350	$48.49	80
Detroit, MI	$100,840	$85,770	$48.48	1,250
Bend, OR	$100,790	$97,690	$48.46	50
Napa, CA	$100,740	$89,180	$48.43	50
Chicago, IL	$100,450	$90,920	$48.29	2,630
Santa Rosa, CA	$100,440	$92,240	$48.29	80
Chattanooga, TN	$100,300	$92,490	$48.22	50
Lawrence, KS	$100,120	$96,050	$48.13	60
Charlottesville, VA	$100,090	$87,260	$48.12	90
Muskegon, MI	$99,940	$92,320	$48.05	70
San Antonio, TX	$99,720	$91,040	$47.94	290
Trenton, NJ	$99,340	$81,500	$47.76	480
Savannah, GA	$99,310	$103,380	$47.74	50
Los Angeles, CA	$99,150	$87,060	$47.67	3,190
St. Louis, MO	$98,920	$86,690	$47.56	1,040
Idaho Falls, ID	$98,850	$85,810	$47.53	130
Winston-Salem, NC	$98,530	$98,090	$47.37	240
Gainesville, FL	$98,440	$96,110	$47.33	30
Corvallis, OR	$98,260	$94,990	$47.24	80
Fort Collins, CO	$98,220	$83,340	$47.22	200
Gainesville, GA	$98,100	$92,500	$47.16	30
Mobile, AL	$98,040	$102,600	$47.14	90
Rochester, NY	$97,950	$84,030	$47.09	300
New York, NY	$97,940	$85,150	$47.09	6,750
Knoxville, TN	$97,840	$99,790	$47.04	100
Santa Cruz, CA	$97,460	$95,840	$46.86	70
New Orleans, LA	$97,440	$96,100	$46.85	170
Cincinnati, OH	$97,410	$96,170	$46.83	930
Greensboro, NC	$97,370	$97,690	$46.81	300
Cedar Rapids, IA	$97,030	$80,510	$46.65	70
York, PA	$96,910	$94,200	$46.59	160
Columbus, OH	$96,840	$94,170	$46.56	1,170
Charleston, SC	$96,740	$90,070	$46.51	100
Des Moines, IA	$96,700	$87,560	$46.49	150
Syracuse, NY	$96,580	$82,410	$46.43	70
Richmond, VA	$96,510	$87,580	$46.40	320
Sarasota, FL	$95,660	$82,850	$45.99	40
Durham, NC	$95,490	$81,580	$45.91	1,140
Santa Maria, CA	$95,140	$85,930	$45.74	110
Deltona, FL	$95,130	$90,640	$45.74	30
Colorado Springs, CO	$94,940	$81,840	$45.65	60
Allentown, PA	$94,850	$79,600	$45.60	400
Jacksonville, FL	$94,770	$81,330	$45.56	120
Sacramento, CA	$94,510	$82,400	$45.44	400
Dallas, TX	$94,390	$81,270	$45.38	850
Ogden, UT	$94,310	$90,740	$45.34	90
Buffalo, NY	$94,240	$84,510	$45.31	320
Reading, PA	$94,050	$81,520	$45.21	90
Charlotte, NC	$93,970	$88,890	$45.18	650
Ithaca, NY	$93,780	$91,330	$45.09	30
Kiryas Joel, NY	$93,700	$87,130	$45.05	60
Lakeland, FL	$93,460	$81,640	$44.93	60
Cleveland, OH	$93,270	$82,020	$44.84	680
Sheboygan, WI	$93,080	$82,260	$44.75	90
Janesville, WI	$92,980	$95,430	$44.70	40
Riverside, CA	$92,540	$92,660	$44.49	480
Ames, IA	$92,310	$84,300	$44.38	40
Fayetteville, NC	$92,270	$92,080	$44.36	30
Vallejo, CA	$92,020	$81,470	$44.24	130
Oxnard, CA	$91,840	$82,960	$44.15	220
San Luis Obispo, CA	$91,820	$86,060	$44.14	40
Hartford, CT	$91,820	$90,010	$44.14	340
Raleigh, NC	$91,560	$84,150	$44.02	740
Burlington, VT	$91,510	$86,120	$44.00	50
Honolulu, HI	$91,470	$84,910	$43.98	130
Miami, FL	$91,370	$83,180	$43.93	440
Stockton, CA	$91,350	$80,080	$43.92	70
Greenville, SC	$90,540	$80,870	$43.53	160
Kenosha, WI	$90,500	$84,520	$43.51	80
Bowling Green, KY	$90,450	$80,780	$43.49	40
Wichita, KS	$90,300	$96,040	$43.41	90
Hagerstown, MD	$90,020	$82,990	$43.28	40
Waterbury, CT	$89,920	$83,420	$43.23	50
Morgantown, WV	$89,880	$81,970	$43.21	40
Louisville, KY	$89,860	$86,090	$43.20	110
Roanoke, VA	$89,840	$86,720	$43.19	50
Reno, NV	$89,840	$81,860	$43.19	90
Grand Rapids, MI	$89,540	$82,110	$43.05	290
Visalia, CA	$89,540	$87,570	$43.05	30
Montgomery, AL	$89,410	$81,700	$42.99	50
Kansas City, MO	$89,240	$83,420	$42.90	550
Charleston, WV	$88,900	$88,640	$42.74	30
Virginia Beach, VA	$88,810	$81,990	$42.70	200
Austin, TX	$88,660	$79,770	$42.63	300
Indianapolis, IN	$88,560	$78,770	$42.58	1,310
Tulsa, OK	$88,310	$106,690	$42.46	170
Gulfport, MS	$88,280	$75,610	$42.44	30
Elkhart, IN	$88,160	$77,830	$42.39	80
Las Vegas, NV	$87,990	$81,170	$42.30	160
Modesto, CA	$87,650	$83,120	$42.14	90
Omaha, NE	$87,380	$74,890	$42.01	170
Shreveport, LA	$86,900	$80,190	$41.78	40
Akron, OH	$86,610	$78,990	$41.64	200
Phoenix, AZ	$86,510	$78,060	$41.59	570
Springfield, IL	$86,300	$84,110	$41.49	40
Pittsburgh, PA	$86,060	$74,200	$41.38	980
Spokane, WA	$85,730	$77,400	$41.21	90
Mount Vernon, WA	$85,560	$81,680	$41.14	40
Dover, DE	$85,320	$79,300	$41.02	40
Boise, ID	$85,150	$78,930	$40.94	110
Terre Haute, IN	$85,010	$76,290	$40.87	50
Lincoln, NE	$84,650	$82,920	$40.70	80
Milwaukee, WI	$84,570	$78,860	$40.66	440
Toledo, OH	$84,490	$78,250	$40.62	150
Memphis, TN	$84,480	$76,980	$40.61	120
Auburn, AL	$83,990	$79,530	$40.38	40
Bellingham, WA	$83,870	$64,560	$40.32	90
Hickory, NC	$83,760	$80,860	$40.27	110
Salt Lake City, UT	$83,580	$79,980	$40.18	580
Augusta, GA	$83,480	$72,340	$40.14	70
Fort Wayne, IN	$82,980	$78,860	$39.89	60
Ann Arbor, MI	$82,970	$67,050	$39.89	230
El Paso, TX	$82,940	$63,620	$39.87	80
Sioux Falls, SD	$82,850	$83,220	$39.83	40
Bloomington, IN	$82,810	$77,080	$39.81	190
Springfield, MO	$82,770	$76,270	$39.79	30
Wilmington, NC	$82,590	$78,130	$39.71	400
San Juan, PR	$82,300	$77,380	$39.57	680
Canton, OH	$82,130	$76,660	$39.49	50
St. Joseph, MO	$81,420	$78,230	$39.14	100
Provo, UT	$81,100	$78,020	$38.99	150
Lima, OH	$81,060	$72,570	$38.97	100
Tampa, FL	$80,810	$76,830	$38.85	240
Orlando, FL	$80,540	$73,100	$38.72	130
Columbia, MO	$80,350	$87,000	$38.63	90
South Bend, IN	$80,280	$74,890	$38.60	70
Huntington, WV	$80,200	$76,110	$38.56	40
Champaign, IL	$80,050	$67,310	$38.49	80
Madison, WI	$79,940	$78,730	$38.44	780
Fresno, CA	$79,770	$73,470	$38.35	120
Racine, WI	$79,680	$78,260	$38.31	130
Yakima, WA	$79,530	$78,580	$38.24	40
Columbia, SC	$79,220	$73,430	$38.09	190
Fargo, ND	$78,930	$71,510	$37.95	40
Lubbock, TX	$78,820	$57,090	$37.90	40
College Station, TX	$77,880	$65,080	$37.44	90
Harrisburg, PA	$77,740	$73,670	$37.38	160
Portland, ME	$77,560	$64,320	$37.29	60
Green Bay, WI	$77,300	$74,660	$37.17	50
Oklahoma City, OK	$76,080	$61,750	$36.58	280
Iowa City, IA	$75,460	$65,270	$36.28	40
Asheville, NC	$74,940	$66,910	$36.03	40
Lexington, KY	$74,890	$68,640	$36.01	120
Joplin, MO	$74,650	$77,460	$35.89	40
Lynchburg, VA	$74,510	$63,960	$35.82	50
Lafayette, IN	$73,960	$52,140	$35.56	120
Bozeman, MT	$70,470	$67,570	$33.88	50
Youngstown, OH	$69,820	$65,170	$33.57	30
Waco, TX	$69,780	$61,880	$33.55	50
Lansing, MI	$69,470	$63,810	$33.40	140
Topeka, KS	$67,160	$60,130	$32.29	30
Billings, MT	$66,200	$59,780	$31.83	100
Little Rock, AR	$64,670	$57,970	$31.09	120
Tallahassee, FL	$61,430	$53,000	$29.53	60
Johnstown, PA	$61,200	$59,920	$29.42	90
Nashville, TN	$60,870	$48,530	$29.27	320
Ponce, PR	$54,830	$48,180	$26.36	50

Related jobs

Chemists salary: questions

Where do chemists make the most money?

In Washington, DC, with an average of $144,550 a year, among the 212 metro areas we cover.

What is the average chemists salary in the U.S.?

$101,816 a year across all U.S. metro areas, weighted by employment (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Where is chemists pay the lowest?

Ponce, PR, at $54,830 a year on average. Lower pay often comes with lower prices: check the cost of living on each city page.

Sources and how to read this page

Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 19-2031.
U.S. metro average: employment-weighted mean of every metro area in the OEWS file (not only the ones listed here).
Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.

Read the full methodology. Spotted an error? Tell us.