Chemists: salary, outlook & degrees
Conduct qualitative and quantitative chemical analyses or experiments in laboratories for quality or process control or to develop new products or knowledge.
Middle half $69,460–$125,550. 82,770 jobs.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025
Census ACS 2020-2024 microdata, workers with at least a high school diploma; EducationGuide calculation
About 5,900 openings a year, including replacements.
BLS Employment Projections 2025-35
Considerable preparation (usually a bachelor's).
BLS; O*NET 31.0 job zone
Education workers say the job requires
O*NET 31.0 survey of workers (“required level of education”); small samples, so treat shares as approximate.
Pay by state and metro
| State | Median wage |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $149,860 |
| Maryland | $140,670 |
| Delaware | $129,860 |
| New Mexico | $126,960 |
| Massachusetts | $125,000 |
| Alaska | $106,010 |
| Oregon | $104,590 |
| Louisiana | $103,890 |
| Wyoming | $102,000 |
| Colorado | $101,980 |
| Rhode Island | $101,660 |
| New Hampshire | $100,050 |
| Texas | $99,640 |
| Minnesota | $99,280 |
| Connecticut | $98,140 |
| California | $97,860 |
| Alabama | $97,830 |
| Michigan | $97,440 |
| Washington | $97,420 |
| North Dakota | $97,330 |
| Virginia | $96,650 |
| Georgia | $92,750 |
| New York | $90,600 |
| Tennessee | $87,930 |
| Vermont | $86,120 |
| Iowa | $86,100 |
| West Virginia | $85,560 |
| Ohio | $85,270 |
| Illinois | $85,230 |
| New Jersey | $84,450 |
| Hawaii | $84,150 |
| Kentucky | $84,090 |
| Kansas | $82,820 |
| Missouri | $82,800 |
| Florida | $82,740 |
| North Carolina | $82,620 |
| Arizona | $81,730 |
| Nevada | $81,170 |
| Utah | $80,770 |
| Mississippi | $80,060 |
| South Carolina | $79,670 |
| Indiana | $78,770 |
| Wisconsin | $78,730 |
| Idaho | $78,000 |
| Pennsylvania | $77,090 |
| PR | $76,450 |
| Arkansas | $75,570 |
| Oklahoma | $74,960 |
| Nebraska | $74,890 |
| South Dakota | $67,440 |
| Maine | $64,440 |
| Montana | $61,890 |
Largest metro areas for this job
- New York-Newark-Jersey City NY-NJ$85,150
- Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington PA-NJ-DE-MD$95,440
- Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim CA$87,060
- Boston-Cambridge-Newton MA-NH$127,290
- Chicago-Naperville-Elgin IL-IN$90,920
- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria DC-VA-MD-WV$144,680
- Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands TX$106,740
- San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont CA$127,790
- Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington MN-WI$99,280
- San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad CA$95,160
- Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood IN$78,770
- Detroit-Warren-Dearborn MI$85,770
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025: median annual wage, all workers in the job. Metro areas: the largest by employment.
What the work takes
Top skills
- Science
- Reading Comprehension
- Critical Thinking
- Speaking
- Active Listening
Knowledge used
- Chemistry
- English Language
- Mathematics
- Production and Processing
- Administration and Management
Work styles
- Attention to Detail
- Intellectual Curiosity
- Dependability
- Innovation
- Cautiousness
People in this job tend to have Investigative (analytical), Realistic (hands-on), Conventional (organizing) interests.
O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0): skills and knowledge by importance; work styles; interest high points.
Chemists: questions
How much do chemists make?
Chemists earn a U.S. median $91,240 a year; the middle half earn $69,460 to $125,550 (BLS, May 2025).
Is chemists a growing field?
BLS projects growth of 6.4% from 2025 to 2035, with about 5,900 openings a year, including replacements.
What degree do you need to be a chemist?
BLS lists the typical entry education as bachelor's degree. In O*NET's survey, 100% of workers say a bachelor's or higher is required.
How much do chemists make in Florida?
The median in Florida is $82,740 a year (BLS, May 2025), compared with $91,240 nationally.
Sources: Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS May 2025; Employment Projections 2025-35); O*NET 31.0 (U.S. Department of Labor, CC BY 4.0); U.S. Census Bureau ACS microdata. SOC 19-2031. Method
Data: JSON · Markdown · all careers
Cite this: “Chemists: salary, outlook and degrees,” EducationGuide.com, https://educationguide.com/careers/chemists.