SOC 19-2031 · Fresno, CA metro

Chemists Salary in Fresno, CA

The average salary for chemists in Fresno, California is $79,770 a year ($38.35 an hour), according to BLS estimates for May 2025. The median is $73,470: half of the 120 people in this job in the Fresno, CA metro area earn more than that, half earn less. That average is 21% less than the U.S. average for this job ($100,450).

$79,770average per year

$38.35 / hourMedian $73,470Take-home ≈ $61,622

  • $50K10th
  • $62K25th
  • $73KMedian
  • $97K75th
  • $120K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

120people in this job
-21%vs U.S. average
#19 of 19California metros
102cost of living (U.S. = 100)
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Chemists pay range in Fresno

New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $50,010 a year or less, while the top 10% make $120,040 or more. The middle half of chemists in Fresno earn between $61,770 and $97,010.

  • $50K10th
  • $62K25th
  • $73KMedian
  • $97K75th
  • $120K90th

median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it

Pay levelPer yearPer monthPer hour*
Average$79,770$6,648$38.35
Median$73,470$6,122$35.32
Entry level (25th percentile)$61,770$5,148$29.70
Experienced (75th percentile)$97,010$8,084$46.64

*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.

Chemists pay in Fresno vs. California and the U.S.

Chemists in Fresno earn 25% less than the California average ($106,810) and 21% less than the U.S. average ($100,450). At the median the gap is -19% against the U.S. median of $91,240.

AreaAverageMedian10th pct.90th pct.Jobs
Fresno$79,770$73,470$50,010$120,040120
California$106,810$97,860$60,930$164,1509,820
United States$100,450$91,240$58,460$160,83082,770

State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.

Chemists salary after taxes in Fresno

On the average salary of $79,770, a single filer in Fresno takes home about $61,622 a year, or $5,135 a month and $2,370 every two weeks. Taxes take 23% of gross pay.

Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.

California paycheck calculator: try your own salary

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Is Fresno a good place for chemists? Pay vs. cost of living

Prices in the Fresno area are 2% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 102.2), so the average $79,770 buys what about $78,085 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.6 times the median wage of all jobs in Fresno ($46,910). A typical home costs $409,749, or 5.1 years of this average salary before tax.

See what $79,770 is worth in another city

Chemists salary in other California cities

Fresno ranks 19th of 19 California metro areas for this job; San Francisco pays the most ($130,870).

All Chemists salaries in California

Highest-paying cities for chemists

Washington, DC pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($144,550).

Chemists salary by city

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Reviewed before it counts. Chemists in Fresno, CA.

Chemists salary in Fresno: questions

How much do chemists make an hour in Fresno?

$38.35 an hour on average, and $35.32 at the median (BLS, May 2025).

What is the entry-level chemists salary in Fresno?

The lowest-paid 10% earn about $50,010 a year and the 25th percentile is $61,770, a fair guide to starting pay.

What is the chemists take-home pay in Fresno?

About $61,622 a year ($5,135 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $79,770. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.

Do chemists earn more in Fresno than elsewhere?

The average here is 21% less than the U.S. average for this job ($100,450).

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; area Fresno, CA (23420). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 6.0%.
  • U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
  • Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
  • Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
  • Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
  • Job concentration: location quotient 0.46, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.46).

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