Department of Labor Logo United States Department of Labor
Dot gov

The .gov means it's official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you're on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2021

19-2031 Chemists

Conduct qualitative and quantitative chemical analyses or experiments in laboratories for quality or process control or to develop new products or knowledge. Excludes “Biochemists and Biophysicists” (19-1021) and “Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers” (19-2042).


National estimates for Chemists
Industry profile for Chemists
Geographic profile for Chemists

National estimates for Chemists:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Chemists:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
80,600 1.9 % $ 42.85 $ 89,130 0.7 %

Percentile wage estimates for Chemists:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 23.12 $ 29.59 $ 38.19 $ 51.51 $ 64.80
Annual Wage (2) $ 48,100 $ 61,540 $ 79,430 $ 107,140 $ 134,780


Industry profile for Chemists:

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

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Chemists:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing 14,560 4.64 $ 38.30 $ 79,670
Scientific Research and Development Services 13,990 1.76 $ 52.22 $ 108,620
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 8,200 0.54 $ 31.29 $ 65,080
Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) 7,730 2.20 $ 44.73 $ 93,040
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 5,580 0.26 $ 58.49 $ 121,660

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Chemists:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing 14,560 4.64 $ 38.30 $ 79,670
Chemical Manufacturing (3255 and 3256 only) 4,250 2.40 $ 39.50 $ 82,160
Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) 7,730 2.20 $ 44.73 $ 93,040
Scientific Research and Development Services 13,990 1.76 $ 52.22 $ 108,620
Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing 860 0.84 $ 42.26 $ 87,890

Top paying industries for Chemists:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Oil and Gas Extraction 60 0.05 $ 75.07 $ 156,150
Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing 110 0.07 $ 59.86 $ 124,510
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 5,580 0.26 $ 58.49 $ 121,660
Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution 480 0.13 $ 55.01 $ 114,410
Computer Systems Design and Related Services (8) (8) $ 53.56 $ 111,410


Geographic profile for Chemists:

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



Map of employment of chemists by state, May 2021


States with the highest employment level in Chemists:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 9,270 0.56 0.98 $ 41.31 $ 85,930
New Jersey 7,210 1.87 3.28 $ 48.10 $ 100,050
Pennsylvania 5,470 0.98 1.71 $ 42.17 $ 87,710
Massachusetts 4,590 1.35 2.36 $ 51.69 $ 107,510
North Carolina 4,370 0.99 1.73 $ 37.34 $ 77,670


Map of location quotient of chemists by state, May 2021


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

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Delaware 1,300 2.98 5.20 $ 55.07 $ 114,540
New Jersey 7,210 1.87 3.28 $ 48.10 $ 100,050
Massachusetts 4,590 1.35 2.36 $ 51.69 $ 107,510
Maryland 2,980 1.17 2.05 $ 57.78 $ 120,190
North Carolina 4,370 0.99 1.73 $ 37.34 $ 77,670


Map of annual mean wages of chemists by state, May 2021


Top paying states for Chemists:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
District of Columbia 270 0.40 0.70 $ 61.76 $ 128,460
Maryland 2,980 1.17 2.05 $ 57.78 $ 120,190
Delaware 1,300 2.98 5.20 $ 55.07 $ 114,540
Massachusetts 4,590 1.35 2.36 $ 51.69 $ 107,510
New Jersey 7,210 1.87 3.28 $ 48.10 $ 100,050



Map of employment of chemists by area, May 2021


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Chemists:

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 7,820 0.90 1.57 $ 47.37 $ 98,520
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 4,160 1.61 2.82 $ 52.08 $ 108,330
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 4,130 1.56 2.72 $ 48.92 $ 101,750
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 2,880 0.50 0.88 $ 37.74 $ 78,510
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 2,830 0.97 1.69 $ 63.12 $ 131,290
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 2,600 0.61 1.07 $ 37.92 $ 78,880
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 2,320 1.04 1.81 $ 47.43 $ 98,660
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI 1,460 0.81 1.42 $ 49.87 $ 103,720
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 1,340 0.46 0.81 $ 48.83 $ 101,570
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA 1,310 0.94 1.64 $ 39.26 $ 81,650


Map of location quotient of chemists by area, May 2021


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

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Midland, MI 650 18.77 32.81 $ 51.98 $ 108,110
Bay City, MI 210 6.61 11.55 $ 51.33 $ 106,770
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC 1,300 4.18 7.30 $ 42.01 $ 87,380
Wilmington, NC 530 4.12 7.20 $ 31.09 $ 64,660
Trenton, NJ 780 3.45 6.03 $ 49.35 $ 102,650
Boulder, CO 470 2.57 4.50 $ 48.54 $ 100,950
Kankakee, IL 100 2.42 4.24 $ 34.32 $ 71,380
Kalamazoo-Portage, MI 290 2.18 3.81 $ 42.96 $ 89,350
Ann Arbor, MI 380 1.90 3.31 $ 39.46 $ 82,090
Bloomington, IN 120 1.77 3.10 $ 32.72 $ 68,060


Map of annual mean wages of chemists by area, May 2021


Top paying metropolitan areas for Chemists:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 2,830 0.97 1.69 $ 63.12 $ 131,290
Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT 410 1.10 1.92 $ 55.67 $ 115,790
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 4,160 1.61 2.82 $ 52.08 $ 108,330
Midland, MI 650 18.77 32.81 $ 51.98 $ 108,110
Barnstable Town, MA 50 0.53 0.93 $ 51.38 $ 106,870
Bay City, MI 210 6.61 11.55 $ 51.33 $ 106,770
Peoria, IL 80 0.48 0.84 $ 51.30 $ 106,700
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI 1,460 0.81 1.42 $ 49.87 $ 103,720
Gainesville, GA 30 0.36 0.63 $ 49.69 $ 103,360
Trenton, NJ 780 3.45 6.03 $ 49.35 $ 102,650

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Chemists:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 280 0.73 1.28 $ 31.76 $ 66,050
Balance of Lower Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area 200 0.80 1.39 $ 35.51 $ 73,850
Southern Indiana nonmetropolitan area 110 0.58 1.01 $ 35.97 $ 74,810
Southeast Coastal North Carolina nonmetropolitan area 100 0.41 0.71 $ 31.11 $ 64,710
Southwest Montana nonmetropolitan area 100 0.70 1.22 $ 35.60 $ 74,040

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

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Eastern Wyoming nonmetropolitan area 70 0.83 1.45 $ 33.50 $ 69,690
Balance of Lower Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area 200 0.80 1.39 $ 35.51 $ 73,850
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 280 0.73 1.28 $ 31.76 $ 66,050
Southwest Montana nonmetropolitan area 100 0.70 1.22 $ 35.60 $ 74,040
Eastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area 90 0.70 1.22 $ 30.85 $ 64,160

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Chemists:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Northeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area 70 0.66 1.16 $ 59.07 $ 122,860
Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 70 0.52 0.90 $ 48.44 $ 100,760
North Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 60 0.24 0.43 $ 47.98 $ 99,800
South Georgia nonmetropolitan area 30 0.19 0.33 $ 47.74 $ 99,310
Northwest Illinois nonmetropolitan area 50 0.43 0.75 $ 46.33 $ 96,370


About May 2021 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.

(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 2021 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2021 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 31, 2022