212 metro areas

Chemist Salary by City (2026)

Chemists earn the most in Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV, an average of $144,560 a year, against $100,450 nationally. After local prices, pay goes furthest in Bay City, MI ($152,200 in national-average dollars). Every metro area with its own BLS estimate is ranked below.

US average (mean): $100,450BLS OEWS, May 2025
Highest-paying city: $144,560Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV
Best after cost of living: $152,200Bay City, MI
Metro areas: 212With their own estimate

Top cities

Highest-paying cities for chemists

Mean annual wage

Top 10 metro areas

Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV$144,560
Bay City, MI$139,900
Lexington Park, MD$132,480
San Francisco, CA$130,870
Boston, MA-NH$130,520
Midland, TX$129,190
Albuquerque, NM$127,300
Lake Charles, LA$126,650
Crestview, FL$123,880
Albany, NY$122,220

Top 10 metro areas by mean wage for chemists
Item	Value
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	$144,560
Bay City, MI	$139,900
Lexington Park, MD	$132,480
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA	$130,870
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH	$130,520
Midland, TX	$129,190
Albuquerque, NM	$127,300
Lake Charles, LA	$126,650
Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL	$123,880
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY	$122,220

Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025

At national-average prices

Mean wage ÷ BEA price level

Bay City, MI$139,900 nominal$152,200
Lake Charles, LA$126,650 nominal$147,520
Midland, TX$129,190 nominal$134,880
Albuquerque, NM$127,300 nominal$133,230
Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV$144,560 nominal$132,770
Spartanburg, SC$120,740 nominal$132,610
Decatur, AL$114,730 nominal$131,550
Lexington Park, MD$132,480 nominal$131,480
Midland, MI$120,450 nominal$131,040
Peoria, IL$116,770 nominal$127,990

Top 10 metro areas by price-adjusted mean wage for chemists
Item	Value
Bay City, MI	$152,200
Lake Charles, LA	$147,520
Midland, TX	$134,880
Albuquerque, NM	$133,230
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV	$132,770
Spartanburg, SC	$132,610
Decatur, AL	$131,550
Lexington Park, MD	$131,480
Midland, MI	$131,040
Peoria, IL	$127,990

Source: BLS OEWS 2025 · BEA RPP 2024

Every city

Chemist salary in every metro area

Mean annual wage, with the Department of Labor's entry (Level I) and experienced (Level IV) prevailing-wage benchmarks for the same metro, and the mean at national-average prices. Sorted by mean pay.

Chemist pay in every metro area with a BLS estimate
#	Metro area	Mean	Entry (Level I)	Experienced (Level IV)	At US prices
1	Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV	$144,560	$94,790	$169,060	$132,770
2	Bay City, MI	$139,900	$101,090	$159,020	$152,200
3	Lexington Park, MD	$132,480	$101,250	$147,850	$131,480
4	San Francisco, CA	$130,870	$82,410	$154,730	$113,200
5	Boston, MA-NH	$130,520	$77,000	$156,870	$120,550
6	Midland, TX	$129,190	$85,880	$150,510	$134,880
7	Albuquerque, NM	$127,300	$64,290	$158,330	$133,230
8	Lake Charles, LA	$126,650	$87,820	$145,790	$147,520
9	Crestview, FL	$123,880	$87,840	$141,630	$127,670
10	Albany, NY	$122,220	$79,160	$143,420	$122,750
11	Baltimore, MD	$121,890	$74,880	$145,060	$116,660
12	San Jose, CA	$121,350	$78,310	$142,540	$109,900
13	Spartanburg, SC	$120,740	$70,030	$145,700	$132,610
14	Midland, MI	$120,450	$83,740	$138,530	$131,040
15	Houston, TX	$118,290	$69,310	$142,420	$119,930
16	Palm Bay, FL	$118,140	$76,940	$138,440	$118,130
17	Peoria, IL	$116,770	$64,880	$142,310	$127,990
18	Norwich, CT	$116,500	$82,640	$133,160	$115,980
19	Decatur, AL	$114,730	$78,000	$132,830	$131,550
20	Baton Rouge, LA	$114,630	$69,990	$136,590	$126,270
21	Huntsville, AL	$112,300	$71,410	$132,450	$120,660
22	Athens, GA	$111,760	$74,780	$129,980	$119,730
23	Atlantic City, NJ	$111,320	$68,430	$132,450	$112,610
24	Evansville, IN	$110,990	$65,980	$133,160	$121,260
25	Denver, CO	$110,740	$69,430	$131,100	$104,690
26	Worcester, MA	$110,700	$64,650	$133,370	$107,980
27	Dayton, OH	$109,660	$70,160	$129,110	$118,300
28	Boulder, CO	$109,180	$71,970	$127,520	$103,780
29	New Haven, CT	$109,030	$72,550	$127,000	$104,280
30	Longview, TX	$107,830	$60,420	$131,160	$120,500
31	Eugene, OR	$107,350	$76,730	$122,430	$105,690
32	Providence, RI-MA	$107,140	$71,300	$124,800	$105,270
33	Bremerton, WA	$106,480	$74,920	$122,010	$100,830
34	Beaumont, TX	$106,180	$66,730	$125,610	$117,920
35	Bridgeport, CT	$105,910	$75,610	$120,850	$99,110
36	Olympia, WA	$105,790	$65,890	$125,440	$102,040
37	Bakersfield, CA	$105,620	$64,170	$126,050	$104,690
38	Salinas, CA	$104,940	$69,760	$122,240	$96,240
39	Scranton, PA	$104,540	$61,860	$125,570	$111,740
40	Pensacola, FL	$104,440	$60,760	$125,960	$106,880
41	Minneapolis, MN-WI	$103,770	$67,040	$121,870	$99,000
42	Kalamazoo, MI	$103,630	$68,390	$120,990	$109,270
43	Philadelphia, PA-NJ-DE-MD	$103,080	$62,900	$122,890	$100,510
44	Portland, OR-WA	$103,080	$68,660	$120,040	$97,780
45	Davenport, IA-IL	$103,000	$68,220	$120,120	$115,630
46	Duluth, MN-WI	$102,960	$71,820	$118,290	$115,990
47	Seattle, WA	$102,480	$69,680	$118,620	$92,210
48	Blacksburg, VA	$102,110	$62,440	$121,640	$110,140
49	Atlanta, GA	$102,070	$64,540	$120,560	$102,010
50	Manchester, NH	$102,020	$68,600	$118,480	$96,560
51	State College, PA	$101,480	$74,630	$114,690	$104,880
52	San Diego, CA	$101,250	$63,980	$119,620	$90,490
53	Birmingham, AL	$101,050	$62,860	$119,850	$110,260
54	Anchorage, AK	$100,980	$69,140	$116,670	$95,790
55	Corpus Christi, TX	$100,900	$66,640	$117,770	$108,880
56	Greeley, CO	$100,860	$64,360	$118,850	$100,680
57	Detroit, MI	$100,840	$63,540	$119,230	$100,540
58	Bend, OR	$100,800	$78,620	$111,720	$97,290
59	Napa, CA	$100,730	$66,560	$117,580	$89,490
60	Chicago, IL-IN	$100,440	$65,600	$117,620	$96,950
61	Santa Rosa, CA	$100,440	$70,260	$115,290	$93,190
62	Chattanooga, TN-GA	$100,300	$63,840	$118,250	$109,660
63	Lawrence, KS	$100,110	$73,550	$113,210	$110,930
64	Charlottesville, VA	$100,090	$58,930	$120,370	$100,950
65	Muskegon, MI	$99,940	$63,090	$118,100	$108,020
66	San Antonio, TX	$99,720	$58,700	$119,930	$105,280
67	Trenton, NJ	$99,340	$64,170	$116,670	$96,280
68	Savannah, GA	$99,300	$67,350	$115,040	$104,300
69	Los Angeles, CA	$99,150	$64,500	$116,210	$87,310
70	St. Louis, MO-IL	$98,920	$59,880	$118,140	$104,030
71	Idaho Falls, ID	$98,860	$58,320	$118,810	$104,710
72	Winston, NC	$98,530	$62,230	$116,420	$107,050
73	Gainesville, FL	$98,450	$50,840	$121,890	$101,770
74	Corvallis, OR	$98,260	$71,430	$111,490	$94,470
75	Fort Collins, CO	$98,220	$56,240	$118,890	$97,120
76	Gainesville, GA	$98,090	$73,280	$110,320	$101,370
77	Mobile, AL	$98,050	$69,600	$112,050	$111,300
78	New York, NY-NJ	$97,950	$66,190	$113,590	$87,020
79	Rochester, NY	$97,950	$67,000	$113,190	$100,940
80	Knoxville, TN	$97,840	$72,200	$110,470	$105,690
81	Santa Cruz, CA	$97,470	$65,020	$113,440	$88,690
82	New Orleans, LA	$97,450	$60,650	$115,560	$105,240
83	Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN	$97,410	$64,500	$113,610	$102,140
84	Greensboro, NC	$97,360	$67,200	$112,220	$104,840
85	Cedar Rapids, IA	$97,030	$68,390	$111,160	$109,070
86	York, PA	$96,910	$62,500	$113,860	$100,950
87	Columbus, OH	$96,840	$63,590	$113,240	$101,440
88	Charleston, SC	$96,740	$63,380	$113,170	$95,820
89	Des Moines, IA	$96,700	$67,290	$111,180	$105,450
90	Syracuse, NY	$96,570	$60,720	$114,250	$100,860
91	Richmond, VA	$96,510	$56,580	$116,190	$98,620
92	North Port, FL	$95,660	$61,240	$112,610	$93,400
93	Durham, NC	$95,490	$65,870	$110,070	$97,870
94	Deltona, FL	$95,140	$51,520	$116,600	$95,750
95	Santa Maria, CA	$95,140	$60,590	$112,150	$87,450
96	Colorado Springs, CO	$94,950	$58,800	$112,740	$94,280
97	Allentown, PA-NJ	$94,850	$56,240	$113,860	$94,880
98	Jacksonville, FL	$94,760	$50,900	$116,380	$95,250
99	Sacramento, CA	$94,520	$61,900	$110,570	$88,610
100	Dallas, TX	$94,390	$60,260	$111,200	$91,560
101	Ogden, UT	$94,310	$59,160	$111,610	$93,980
102	Buffalo, NY	$94,240	$62,670	$109,780	$98,330
103	Reading, PA	$94,040	$65,500	$108,120	$96,890
104	Charlotte, NC-SC	$93,970	$61,650	$109,910	$96,530
105	Ithaca, NY	$93,790	$61,860	$109,510	$90,780
106	Kiryas Joel, NY	$93,700	$65,810	$107,450	$85,630
107	Lakeland, FL	$93,450	$56,890	$111,490	$96,200
108	Cleveland, OH	$93,270	$65,790	$106,810	$99,300
109	Sheboygan, WI	$93,080	$67,330	$105,770	$99,010
110	Janesville, WI	$92,980	$64,380	$107,080	$99,230
111	Riverside, CA	$92,540	$62,900	$107,140	$86,940
112	Ames, IA	$92,310	$59,240	$108,600	$103,920
113	Fayetteville, NC	$92,270	$69,310	$103,580	$100,320
114	Vallejo, CA	$92,020	$57,820	$108,850	$84,830
115	Oxnard, CA	$91,830	$61,150	$106,950	$83,080
116	Hartford, CT	$91,810	$59,820	$107,580	$89,360
117	San Luis Obispo, CA	$91,810	$61,840	$106,580	$84,540
118	Raleigh, NC	$91,560	$62,980	$105,640	$93,280
119	Burlington, VT	$91,520	$71,050	$101,590	$90,660
120	Urban Honolulu, HI	$91,480	$65,980	$104,040	$82,440
121	Miami, FL	$91,370	$56,310	$108,640	$80,040
122	Stockton, CA	$91,350	$62,000	$105,790	$86,930
123	Greenville, SC	$90,540	$61,670	$104,770	$97,080
124	Kenosha, WI	$90,500	$70,620	$100,300	$89,500
125	Bowling Green, KY	$90,460	$63,920	$103,520	$100,310
126	Wichita, KS	$90,290	$58,570	$105,930	$101,510
127	Hagerstown, MD-WV	$90,020	$64,170	$102,750	$95,590
128	Waterbury, CT	$89,920	$61,360	$104,000	$90,120
129	Morgantown, WV	$89,880	$63,070	$103,110	$96,310
130	Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN	$89,860	$60,150	$104,480	$96,550
131	Reno, NV	$89,840	$55,060	$106,970	$88,940
132	Roanoke, VA	$89,840	$52,640	$108,160	$95,960
133	Grand Rapids, MI	$89,540	$59,700	$104,250	$93,710
134	Visalia, CA	$89,540	$57,890	$105,140	$89,700
135	Montgomery, AL	$89,420	$56,720	$105,520	$99,710
136	Kansas City, MO-KS	$89,230	$57,320	$104,960	$96,420
137	Charleston, WV	$88,900	$52,330	$106,910	$100,210
138	Virginia Beach, VA-NC	$88,820	$57,720	$104,120	$90,690
139	Austin, TX	$88,670	$58,260	$103,630	$90,420
140	Indianapolis, IN	$88,570	$60,840	$102,210	$92,550
141	Tulsa, OK	$88,320	$53,100	$105,640	$99,000
142	Gulfport, MS	$88,280	$52,170	$106,060	$98,080
143	Elkhart, IN	$88,170	$61,800	$101,150	$97,610
144	Las Vegas, NV	$87,980	$52,190	$105,620	$87,790
145	Modesto, CA	$87,650	$55,810	$103,330	$84,190
146	Omaha, NE-IA	$87,380	$61,110	$100,320	$95,070
147	Shreveport, LA	$86,900	$64,270	$98,050	$102,520
148	Akron, OH	$86,610	$57,600	$100,900	$92,760
149	Phoenix, AZ	$86,510	$55,450	$101,800	$83,730
150	Springfield, IL	$86,300	$62,920	$97,820	$93,050
151	Pittsburgh, PA	$86,070	$54,640	$101,550	$90,910
152	Spokane, WA	$85,720	$59,160	$98,820	$85,420
153	Mount Vernon, WA	$85,570	$57,490	$99,380	$83,530
154	Dover, DE	$85,320	$65,230	$95,220	$87,500
155	Boise City, ID	$85,160	$43,970	$105,410	$86,550
156	Terre Haute, IN	$85,010	$58,530	$98,050	$96,830
157	Lincoln, NE	$84,660	$61,900	$95,850	$92,440
158	Milwaukee, WI	$84,570	$60,510	$96,430	$87,240
159	Toledo, OH	$84,490	$58,120	$97,470	$92,380
160	Memphis, TN-MS-AR	$84,470	$52,750	$100,110	$91,640
161	Auburn, AL	$83,990	$54,500	$98,530	$95,520
162	Bellingham, WA	$83,870	$58,930	$96,160	$81,160
163	Hickory, NC	$83,760	$57,990	$96,450	$94,660
164	Salt Lake City, UT	$83,570	$59,280	$95,560	$82,850
165	Augusta, GA-SC	$83,490	$55,990	$97,010	$90,850
166	Ann Arbor, MI	$82,970	$56,910	$95,800	$82,250
167	Fort Wayne, IN	$82,970	$59,070	$94,760	$89,630
168	El Paso, TX	$82,930	$52,640	$97,840	$92,230
169	Sioux Falls, SD-MN	$82,850	$63,500	$92,370	$91,410
170	Bloomington, IN	$82,800	$61,460	$93,330	$87,080
171	Springfield, MO	$82,760	$50,250	$98,780	$93,420
172	Wilmington, NC	$82,600	$57,600	$94,910	$85,670
173	San Juan, PR	$82,310	$48,590	$98,900	N/A
174	Canton, OH	$82,140	$56,970	$94,520	$91,870
175	St. Joseph, MO-KS	$81,410	$56,830	$93,540	$94,240
176	Provo, UT	$81,100	$54,140	$94,370	$82,560
177	Lima, OH	$81,060	$54,100	$94,330	$90,400
178	Tampa, FL	$80,810	$49,110	$96,430	$80,100
179	Orlando, FL	$80,540	$51,310	$94,930	$79,410
180	Columbia, MO	$80,350	$51,750	$94,430	$89,840
181	South Bend, IN-MI	$80,290	$55,540	$92,480	$86,470
182	Huntington, WV-KY-OH	$80,200	$55,620	$92,310	$90,700
183	Champaign, IL	$80,060	$52,940	$93,410	$86,360
184	Madison, WI	$79,960	$56,970	$91,250	$82,190
185	Fresno, CA	$79,770	$55,350	$91,790	$78,080
186	Racine, WI	$79,680	$60,070	$89,340	$83,030
187	Yakima, WA	$79,540	$55,720	$91,250	$83,250
188	Columbia, SC	$79,230	$58,510	$89,420	$84,590
189	Fargo, ND-MN	$78,940	$50,810	$92,790	$86,870
190	Lubbock, TX	$78,830	$42,930	$96,510	$86,330
191	College Station, TX	$77,880	$55,000	$89,150	$85,630
192	Harrisburg, PA	$77,750	$54,850	$89,020	$78,810
193	Portland, ME	$77,560	$52,100	$90,110	$76,150
194	Green Bay, WI	$77,310	$54,910	$88,340	$83,050
195	Oklahoma City, OK	$76,090	$53,140	$87,380	$84,160
196	Iowa City, IA	$75,460	$64,210	$81,000	$82,460
197	Asheville, NC	$74,940	$42,850	$90,750	$77,650
198	Lexington, KY	$74,900	$57,390	$83,530	$80,630
199	Joplin, MO-KS	$74,650	$49,380	$87,110	$87,090
200	Lynchburg, VA	$74,510	$51,380	$85,900	$83,380
201	Lafayette, IN	$73,960	$42,580	$89,420	$79,160
202	Bozeman, MT	$70,470	$53,000	$79,080	$68,740
203	Youngstown, OH	$69,830	$49,820	$79,660	$79,900
204	Waco, TX	$69,780	$49,520	$79,750	$75,400
205	Lansing, MI	$69,470	$47,010	$80,540	$73,130
206	Topeka, KS	$67,160	$56,200	$72,550	$75,610
207	Billings, MT	$66,210	$47,220	$75,550	$70,790
208	Little Rock, AR	$64,670	$45,530	$74,110	$72,370
209	Tallahassee, FL	$61,420	$47,860	$68,120	$65,400
210	Johnstown, PA	$61,190	$49,000	$67,200	$71,210
211	Nashville, TN	$60,880	$45,450	$68,470	$63,190
212	Ponce, PR	$54,830	$36,150	$64,020	N/A

More on chemists

Chemist career profile Chemist salary by state Cost of living calculator

Method

About these numbers

Mean wages are BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) May 2025 estimates for each metropolitan statistical area, as published in the Department of Labor’s 2026–27 OFLC prevailing-wage file. Only metros with their own BLS estimate are listed.
Entry (Level I) and experienced (Level IV) are the Department of Labor’s prevailing-wage levels for the occupation in that metro, used for employer visa filings. They are benchmarks from the same OEWS survey, not percentiles.
OEWS top-codes wages at $115 an hour ($239,200 a year); top-coded means are shown as "$239,200+" and left out of rankings.
At US prices divides the mean by the metro’s BEA Regional Price Parity (2024) over 100, a NueCareer calculation.

Questions

Chemist salary by city: FAQ

Which city pays chemists the most?

Washington, DC-VA-MD-WV, where the average (mean) wage is $144,560 a year, followed by Bay City, MI ($139,900), Lexington Park, MD ($132,480), San Francisco, CA ($130,870). The national mean is $100,450 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).

Where do chemists earn the most after cost of living?

Divided by each metro's BEA price level, pay goes furthest in Bay City, MI ($152,200 at national prices, $139,900 nominal), Lake Charles, LA ($147,520 at national prices, $126,650 nominal), Midland, TX ($134,880 at national prices, $129,190 nominal).

How much do chemists make in the biggest cities?

New York, NY-NJ: $97,950; Los Angeles, CA: $99,150; Chicago, IL-IN: $100,440; Dallas, TX: $94,390; Houston, TX: $118,290 (mean annual wage, BLS OEWS May 2025).

Where do chemists earn the least?

Of the 212 metro areas with their own estimate, Ponce, PR has the lowest mean wage, $54,830.