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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).
Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Chemists:
Employment (1) | Employment RSE (3) |
Mean hourly wage |
Mean annual wage (2) |
Wage RSE (3) |
---|---|---|---|---|
83,940 | 1.5 % | $ 43.53 | $ 90,530 | 0.7 % |
Percentile wage estimates for Chemists:
Percentile | 10% | 25% | 50% (Median) |
75% | 90% |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hourly Wage | $ 23.58 | $ 29.79 | $ 38.78 | $ 52.53 | $ 66.92 |
Annual Wage (2) | $ 49,050 | $ 61,960 | $ 80,670 | $ 109,270 | $ 139,200 |
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) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Scientific Research and Development Services | 17,620 | 2.03 | $ 50.59 | $ 105,220 |
Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing | 13,930 | 4.20 | $ 39.08 | $ 81,280 |
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services | 8,410 | 0.53 | $ 32.52 | $ 67,650 |
Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) | 6,360 | 1.76 | $ 45.04 | $ 93,690 |
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) | 5,450 | 0.26 | $ 60.12 | $ 125,050 |
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 | 13,930 | 4.20 | $ 39.08 | $ 81,280 |
Chemical Manufacturing (3255 and 3256 only) | 4,520 | 2.49 | $ 40.85 | $ 84,980 |
Scientific Research and Development Services | 17,620 | 2.03 | $ 50.59 | $ 105,220 |
Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) | 6,360 | 1.76 | $ 45.04 | $ 93,690 |
Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | 1,060 | 1.02 | $ 48.29 | $ 100,450 |
Top paying industries for Chemists:
Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
---|---|---|---|---|
Oil and Gas Extraction | 80 | 0.08 | $ 81.45 | $ 169,420 |
Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing | 120 | 0.08 | $ 61.66 | $ 128,250 |
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) | 5,450 | 0.26 | $ 60.12 | $ 125,050 |
Computer Systems Design and Related Services | (8) | (8) | $ 59.04 | $ 122,790 |
Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution | 510 | 0.14 | $ 55.75 | $ 115,950 |
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.
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 | 10,030 | 0.57 | 1.00 | $ 46.58 | $ 96,880 |
Pennsylvania | 7,500 | 1.29 | 2.27 | $ 37.94 | $ 78,910 |
New Jersey | 6,590 | 1.60 | 2.83 | $ 46.63 | $ 96,990 |
Massachusetts | 5,870 | 1.65 | 2.90 | $ 54.23 | $ 112,790 |
North Carolina | 4,320 | 0.93 | 1.64 | $ 37.75 | $ 78,530 |
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 | 1,280 | 2.82 | 4.96 | $ 56.25 | $ 117,000 |
Massachusetts | 5,870 | 1.65 | 2.90 | $ 54.23 | $ 112,790 |
New Jersey | 6,590 | 1.60 | 2.83 | $ 46.63 | $ 96,990 |
Pennsylvania | 7,500 | 1.29 | 2.27 | $ 37.94 | $ 78,910 |
Maryland | 3,100 | 1.17 | 2.07 | $ 59.34 | $ 123,430 |
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 | 300 | 0.44 | 0.78 | $ 63.02 | $ 131,080 |
Maryland | 3,100 | 1.17 | 2.07 | $ 59.34 | $ 123,430 |
Delaware | 1,280 | 2.82 | 4.96 | $ 56.25 | $ 117,000 |
Massachusetts | 5,870 | 1.65 | 2.90 | $ 54.23 | $ 112,790 |
Connecticut | 1,160 | 0.71 | 1.25 | $ 48.05 | $ 99,940 |
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 | 7,480 | 0.81 | 1.43 | $ 46.17 | $ 96,030 |
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH | 5,340 | 1.98 | 3.48 | $ 55.11 | $ 114,640 |
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 4,930 | 1.78 | 3.13 | $ 45.62 | $ 94,900 |
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 3,320 | 0.54 | 0.96 | $ 41.79 | $ 86,930 |
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 2,760 | 0.91 | 1.61 | $ 64.29 | $ 133,720 |
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI | 2,570 | 0.58 | 1.03 | $ 38.49 | $ 80,060 |
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA | 2,290 | 0.96 | 1.69 | $ 56.27 | $ 117,030 |
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 1,560 | 0.83 | 1.46 | $ 45.39 | $ 94,400 |
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA | 1,510 | 1.02 | 1.79 | $ 46.62 | $ 96,960 |
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | 1,350 | 0.44 | 0.78 | $ 45.87 | $ 95,410 |
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 | 580 | 16.31 | 28.74 | (8) | (8) |
Lancaster, PA | 920 | 3.78 | 6.65 | $ 27.42 | $ 57,040 |
Greenville, NC | 280 | 3.54 | 6.24 | $ 30.19 | $ 62,790 |
Wilmington, NC | 460 | 3.38 | 5.96 | $ 31.69 | $ 65,910 |
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | 1,090 | 3.34 | 5.88 | $ 42.44 | $ 88,270 |
Trenton, NJ | 690 | 2.92 | 5.15 | $ 47.81 | $ 99,450 |
East Stroudsburg, PA | 140 | 2.65 | 4.67 | $ 38.08 | $ 79,210 |
Kankakee, IL | 90 | 2.22 | 3.90 | $ 33.04 | $ 68,730 |
Madison, WI | 850 | 2.19 | 3.85 | $ 37.37 | $ 77,730 |
Boulder, CO | 400 | 2.08 | 3.67 | $ 48.06 | $ 99,970 |
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 | 2,760 | 0.91 | 1.61 | $ 64.29 | $ 133,720 |
Peoria, IL | 50 | 0.32 | 0.56 | $ 58.59 | $ 121,870 |
Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT | 360 | 0.92 | 1.61 | $ 57.60 | $ 119,810 |
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA | 2,290 | 0.96 | 1.69 | $ 56.27 | $ 117,030 |
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH | 5,340 | 1.98 | 3.48 | $ 55.11 | $ 114,640 |
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 780 | 0.70 | 1.23 | $ 54.81 | $ 114,000 |
Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | 40 | 0.30 | 0.53 | $ 50.73 | $ 105,510 |
Midland, TX | 50 | 0.52 | 0.92 | $ 50.34 | $ 104,720 |
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | 930 | 0.72 | 1.27 | $ 49.67 | $ 103,310 |
Worcester, MA-CT | 310 | 1.09 | 1.92 | $ 48.11 | $ 100,070 |
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) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Balance of Lower Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area | 230 | 0.86 | 1.51 | $ 40.21 | $ 83,630 |
Kansas nonmetropolitan area | 160 | 0.41 | 0.72 | $ 33.54 | $ 69,760 |
Southeast Coastal North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | 150 | 0.62 | 1.10 | $ 36.50 | $ 75,910 |
North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) | 120 | 0.37 | 0.65 | $ 40.90 | $ 85,070 |
Southern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | 110 | 0.59 | 1.04 | $ 37.68 | $ 78,370 |
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 | 80 | 0.94 | 1.65 | $ 35.71 | $ 74,270 |
Balance of Lower Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area | 230 | 0.86 | 1.51 | $ 40.21 | $ 83,630 |
Eastern Washington nonmetropolitan area | 70 | 0.65 | 1.15 | $ 37.34 | $ 77,660 |
Northwest Iowa nonmetropolitan area | 80 | 0.64 | 1.13 | $ 37.94 | $ 78,920 |
Upper Savannah South Carolina nonmetropolitan area | 50 | 0.63 | 1.11 | $ 37.49 | $ 77,980 |
Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Chemists:
Nonmetropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
North Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | 50 | 0.20 | 0.35 | $ 52.94 | $ 110,120 |
Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area | 70 | 0.50 | 0.88 | $ 49.94 | $ 103,860 |
Northeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area | 50 | 0.42 | 0.74 | $ 49.84 | $ 103,660 |
Northwest Illinois nonmetropolitan area | 40 | 0.34 | 0.59 | $ 49.70 | $ 103,370 |
South Georgia nonmetropolitan area | 40 | 0.20 | 0.35 | $ 44.89 | $ 93,360 |
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 2022 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2022 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2022 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2022 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
Last Modified Date: April 25, 2023