Chemists Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for chemists is $91,240, or $43.87 per hour. About 82,770 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $149,860 in District of Columbia to $61,890 in Montana.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 51 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | $149,860 | $72.05 | 280 | 0.74 |
| 2 | Maryland | $140,670 | $67.63 | 2,480 | 1.69 |
| 3 | Delaware | $129,860 | $62.43 | 1,200 | 4.65 |
| 4 | New Mexico | $126,960 | $61.04 | 280 | 0.61 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $125,000 | $60.09 | 3,430 | 1.77 |
| 6 | Alaska | $106,010 | $50.96 | 60 | 0.35 |
| 7 | Oregon | $104,590 | $50.28 | 730 | 0.70 |
| 8 | Louisiana | $103,890 | $49.95 | 740 | 0.72 |
| 9 | Wyoming | $102,000 | $49.04 | 80 | 0.53 |
| 10 | Colorado | $101,980 | $49.03 | 1,790 | 1.17 |
| 11 | Rhode Island | $101,660 | $48.88 | 150 | 0.55 |
| 12 | New Hampshire | $100,050 | $48.10 | 300 | 0.84 |
| 13 | Texas | $99,640 | $47.90 | 5,130 | 0.68 |
| 14 | Minnesota | $99,280 | $47.73 | 1,680 | 1.07 |
| 15 | Connecticut | $98,140 | $47.18 | 1,170 | 1.30 |
| 16 | California | $97,860 | $47.05 | 9,820 | 1.01 |
| 17 | Alabama | $97,830 | $47.03 | 700 | 0.62 |
| 18 | Michigan | $97,440 | $46.85 | 3,490 | 1.49 |
| 19 | Washington | $97,420 | $46.84 | 2,280 | 1.21 |
| 20 | North Dakota | $97,330 | $46.80 | 160 | 0.69 |
| 21 | Virginia | $96,650 | $46.47 | 1,640 | 0.75 |
| 22 | Georgia | $92,750 | $44.59 | 1,260 | 0.48 |
| 23 | New York | $90,600 | $43.56 | 4,230 | 0.82 |
| 24 | Tennessee | $87,930 | $42.27 | 960 | 0.55 |
| 25 | Vermont | $86,120 | $41.40 | 80 | 0.47 |
| 26 | Iowa | $86,100 | $41.39 | 570 | 0.69 |
| 27 | West Virginia | $85,560 | $41.14 | 180 | 0.49 |
| 28 | Ohio | $85,270 | $41.00 | 4,010 | 1.36 |
| 29 | Illinois | $85,230 | $40.98 | 3,040 | 0.94 |
| 30 | New Jersey | $84,450 | $40.60 | 5,280 | 2.31 |
| 31 | Hawaii | $84,150 | $40.46 | 140 | 0.42 |
| 32 | Kentucky | $84,090 | $40.43 | 530 | 0.50 |
| 33 | Kansas | $82,820 | $39.82 | 690 | 0.90 |
| 34 | Missouri | $82,800 | $39.81 | 1,640 | 1.05 |
| 35 | Florida | $82,740 | $39.78 | 1,490 | 0.28 |
| 36 | North Carolina | $82,620 | $39.72 | 4,530 | 1.72 |
| 37 | Arizona | $81,730 | $39.29 | 870 | 0.50 |
| 38 | Nevada | $81,170 | $39.02 | 280 | 0.34 |
| 39 | Utah | $80,770 | $38.83 | 910 | 0.98 |
| 40 | Mississippi | $80,060 | $38.49 | 200 | 0.33 |
| 41 | South Carolina | $79,670 | $38.30 | 770 | 0.63 |
| 42 | Indiana | $78,770 | $37.87 | 2,480 | 1.46 |
| 43 | Wisconsin | $78,730 | $37.85 | 1,920 | 1.22 |
| 44 | Idaho | $78,000 | $37.50 | 320 | 0.71 |
| 45 | Pennsylvania | $77,090 | $37.06 | 6,800 | 2.11 |
| 46 | Arkansas | $75,570 | $36.33 | 380 | 0.55 |
| 47 | Oklahoma | $74,960 | $36.04 | 630 | 0.70 |
| 48 | Nebraska | $74,890 | $36.00 | 350 | 0.64 |
| 49 | South Dakota | $67,440 | $32.42 | 170 | 0.70 |
| 50 | Maine | $64,440 | $30.98 | 140 | 0.41 |
| 51 | Montana | $61,890 | $29.76 | 300 | 1.10 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do chemists make?
The median annual wage for chemists in the United States is $91,240, or $43.87 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $58,460, and the top 10% earn $160,830.
How many chemists are employed in the U.S.?
About 82,770 people work as chemists nationwide.
Which state pays chemists the most?
District of Columbia pays the most at a median of $149,860, followed by Maryland ($140,670) and Delaware ($129,860).
Which state pays chemists the least?
Montana has the lowest median at $61,890.
Where are chemists jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is Delaware at 4.65×.