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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2023

19-4031 Chemical Technicians

Conduct chemical and physical laboratory tests to assist scientists in making qualitative and quantitative analyses of solids, liquids, and gaseous materials for research and development of new products or processes, quality control, maintenance of environmental standards, and other work involving experimental, theoretical, or practical application of chemistry and related sciences.


National estimates for Chemical Technicians
Industry profile for Chemical Technicians
Geographic profile for Chemical Technicians

National estimates for Chemical Technicians:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Chemical Technicians:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
55,880 1.7 % $ 29.29 $ 60,920 0.7 %

Percentile wage estimates for Chemical Technicians:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 18.39 $ 22.08 $ 27.29 $ 35.23 $ 44.88
Annual Wage (2) $ 38,240 $ 45,920 $ 56,750 $ 73,280 $ 93,340


Industry profile for Chemical Technicians:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Chemical Technicians are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Chemical Technicians, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Chemical Technicians:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 10,830 0.66 $ 24.24 $ 50,410
Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) 9,630 2.62 $ 34.18 $ 71,100
Scientific Research and Development Services 5,100 0.55 $ 32.46 $ 67,530
Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing 4,660 1.36 $ 28.33 $ 58,920
Chemical Manufacturing (3255 and 3256 only) 2,800 1.56 $ 26.60 $ 55,340

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Chemical Technicians:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) 9,630 2.62 $ 34.18 $ 71,100
Tobacco Manufacturing 240 2.10 $ 39.77 $ 82,730
Chemical Manufacturing (3255 and 3256 only) 2,800 1.56 $ 26.60 $ 55,340
Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing 4,660 1.36 $ 28.33 $ 58,920
Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing 1,400 1.29 $ 38.53 $ 80,140

Top paying industries for Chemical Technicians:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution 570 0.15 $ 48.33 $ 100,520
Oil and Gas Extraction 230 0.21 $ 41.77 $ 86,880
Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) 40 (7) $ 40.72 $ 84,700
Tobacco Manufacturing 240 2.10 $ 39.77 $ 82,730
Natural Gas Distribution 30 0.03 $ 39.54 $ 82,230


Geographic profile for Chemical Technicians:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Chemical Technicians are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Chemical Technicians, see the Create Customized Tables function.



Map of employment of chemical technicians by state, May 2023


States with the highest employment level in Chemical Technicians:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 7,560 0.42 1.14 $ 29.44 $ 61,230
Texas 6,770 0.50 1.36 $ 36.09 $ 75,070
New Jersey 3,030 0.72 1.96 $ 28.38 $ 59,030
Pennsylvania 2,590 0.44 1.19 $ 26.47 $ 55,060
New York 2,330 0.25 0.67 $ 28.60 $ 59,490


Map of location quotient of chemical technicians by state, May 2023


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Chemical Technicians:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Delaware 600 1.28 3.49 $ 32.10 $ 66,770
Wyoming 300 1.08 2.93 $ 27.10 $ 56,360
Louisiana 1,350 0.73 1.98 $ 38.41 $ 79,890
New Jersey 3,030 0.72 1.96 $ 28.38 $ 59,030
Nevada 970 0.66 1.79 $ 26.30 $ 54,700


Map of annual mean wages of chemical technicians by state, May 2023


Top paying states for Chemical Technicians:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Louisiana 1,350 0.73 1.98 $ 38.41 $ 79,890
Texas 6,770 0.50 1.36 $ 36.09 $ 75,070
Delaware 600 1.28 3.49 $ 32.10 $ 66,770
Massachusetts 2,010 0.55 1.50 $ 32.00 $ 66,560
Colorado 1,160 0.41 1.12 $ 31.24 $ 64,970



Map of employment of chemical technicians by area, May 2023


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Chemical Technicians:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 3,380 0.36 0.97 $ 28.88 $ 60,070
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 3,150 0.99 2.70 $ 39.53 $ 82,220
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 2,470 0.40 1.08 $ 27.82 $ 57,870
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 1,620 0.57 1.56 $ 29.68 $ 61,720
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 1,570 0.57 1.55 $ 32.21 $ 67,000
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 1,220 0.50 1.37 $ 37.27 $ 77,520
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 1,020 0.26 0.70 $ 32.16 $ 66,890
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA 920 0.60 1.64 $ 29.84 $ 62,070
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 880 0.20 0.53 $ 31.54 $ 65,600
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 820 0.43 1.17 $ 31.27 $ 65,040


Map of location quotient of chemical technicians by area, May 2023


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Chemical Technicians:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Midland, MI 170 4.69 12.76 $ 33.94 $ 70,590
Decatur, AL 190 3.24 8.80 $ 31.72 $ 65,980
Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX 440 2.83 7.68 $ 39.13 $ 81,400
Lake Charles, LA 200 2.24 6.08 $ 39.21 $ 81,550
Reno, NV 500 1.97 5.37 $ 24.09 $ 50,110
Bay City, MI 60 1.64 4.46 $ 31.67 $ 65,870
Napa, CA 120 1.52 4.14 $ 26.40 $ 54,920
Kalamazoo-Portage, MI 210 1.51 4.10 $ 33.83 $ 70,360
Casper, WY 60 1.50 4.07 $ 22.73 $ 47,280
Baton Rouge, LA 520 1.34 3.65 $ 40.86 $ 84,990


Map of annual mean wages of chemical technicians by area, May 2023


Top paying metropolitan areas for Chemical Technicians:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Dothan, AL 30 0.52 1.41 $ 41.35 $ 86,010
Baton Rouge, LA 520 1.34 3.65 $ 40.86 $ 84,990
New Orleans-Metairie, LA 340 0.66 1.79 $ 39.66 $ 82,500
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 3,150 0.99 2.70 $ 39.53 $ 82,220
Lake Charles, LA 200 2.24 6.08 $ 39.21 $ 81,550
Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX 440 2.83 7.68 $ 39.13 $ 81,400
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 1,220 0.50 1.37 $ 37.27 $ 77,520
Springfield, MA-CT 170 0.54 1.47 $ 36.97 $ 76,900
Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC 80 0.36 0.99 $ 36.40 $ 75,700
Corpus Christi, TX 200 1.06 2.89 $ 36.39 $ 75,700

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Chemical Technicians:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Nevada nonmetropolitan area 290 2.84 7.72 $ 29.81 $ 62,010
Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 240 1.61 4.36 (8) (8)
West Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 210 1.04 2.84 $ 34.62 $ 72,000
Balance of Lower Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area 200 0.75 2.05 $ 30.75 $ 63,960
Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area 190 0.89 2.43 $ 19.12 $ 39,770

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Chemical Technicians:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Nevada nonmetropolitan area 290 2.84 7.72 $ 29.81 $ 62,010
Eastern Wyoming nonmetropolitan area 160 1.90 5.17 $ 25.45 $ 52,930
Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 240 1.61 4.36 (8) (8)
South Arkansas nonmetropolitan area 120 1.31 3.55 $ 26.78 $ 55,690
Southwest Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area 80 1.26 3.42 $ 36.17 $ 75,240

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Chemical Technicians:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area 50 0.55 1.50 $ 37.78 $ 78,570
Southwest Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area 80 1.26 3.42 $ 36.17 $ 75,240
West Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 210 1.04 2.84 $ 34.62 $ 72,000
Eastern New Mexico nonmetropolitan area 60 0.36 0.97 $ 33.11 $ 68,860
Southwest Alabama nonmetropolitan area 70 0.99 2.70 $ 31.66 $ 65,840


About May 2023 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(7) The value is less than .005 percent of industry employment.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2023 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2023 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2023 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2023 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2023 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: April 3, 2024