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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2020

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)
63,490 2.1 % $ 25.82 $ 53,700 0.7 %

Percentile wage estimates for Chemical Technicians:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 15.25 $ 18.45 $ 23.95 $ 31.11 $ 39.07
Annual Wage (2) $ 31,720 $ 38,380 $ 49,820 $ 64,700 $ 81,260


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)
Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) 12,890 3.58 $ 28.89 $ 60,100
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 11,730 0.78 $ 21.67 $ 45,070
Scientific Research and Development Services 5,650 0.75 $ 28.78 $ 59,850
Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing 5,340 1.79 $ 24.10 $ 50,140
Chemical Manufacturing (3255 and 3256 only) 3,720 2.18 $ 24.57 $ 51,110

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) 12,890 3.58 $ 28.89 $ 60,100
Chemical Manufacturing (3255 and 3256 only) 3,720 2.18 $ 24.57 $ 51,110
Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing 5,340 1.79 $ 24.10 $ 50,140
Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing 1,740 1.60 $ 32.74 $ 68,100
Metal Ore Mining 550 1.36 $ 31.54 $ 65,610

Top paying industries for Chemical Technicians:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Federal Executive Branch (OEWS Designation) 40 (7) $ 38.01 $ 79,060
Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution 750 0.20 $ 37.24 $ 77,460
Water, Sewage and Other Systems 60 0.11 $ 34.59 $ 71,950
Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing 1,740 1.60 $ 32.74 $ 68,100
Oil and Gas Extraction 360 0.29 $ 32.41 $ 67,400


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.





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 7,070 0.43 0.94 $ 24.38 $ 50,710
Texas 6,790 0.56 1.23 $ 29.84 $ 62,070
New Jersey 3,370 0.89 1.95 $ 28.86 $ 60,020
Illinois 3,310 0.59 1.29 $ 26.09 $ 54,270
Pennsylvania 3,090 0.56 1.23 $ 23.75 $ 49,400




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 550 1.30 2.84 $ 30.40 $ 63,240
Louisiana 2,100 1.17 2.56 $ 32.11 $ 66,780
West Virginia 690 1.06 2.33 $ 28.99 $ 60,290
New Jersey 3,370 0.89 1.95 $ 28.86 $ 60,020
Wyoming 220 0.84 1.84 $ 28.04 $ 58,330




Top paying states for Chemical Technicians:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
District of Columbia 40 0.06 0.13 $ 36.45 $ 75,810
Alaska 80 0.26 0.56 $ 33.97 $ 70,650
Louisiana 2,100 1.17 2.56 $ 32.11 $ 66,780
Delaware 550 1.30 2.84 $ 30.40 $ 63,240
Hawaii (8) (8) (8) $ 30.04 $ 62,490





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 3,990 0.45 0.99 $ 27.95 $ 58,140
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 3,050 1.03 2.25 $ 31.96 $ 66,480
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 2,960 0.68 1.49 $ 25.63 $ 53,320
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 2,270 0.39 0.85 $ 24.32 $ 50,580
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 1,930 0.72 1.57 $ 29.65 $ 61,670
Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA 1,670 0.63 1.39 $ 25.94 $ 53,960
San Diego-Carlsbad, CA 1,170 0.84 1.84 $ 23.44 $ 48,750
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 1,160 0.63 1.37 $ 26.16 $ 54,400
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 1,150 0.44 0.96 $ 27.29 $ 56,770
San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA 1,140 0.49 1.07 $ 26.36 $ 54,820




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)
Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol, TN-VA 390 3.65 7.99 $ 27.02 $ 56,200
Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX 520 3.39 7.42 $ 36.27 $ 75,430
Baton Rouge, LA 910 2.46 5.39 $ 35.95 $ 74,780
Decatur, AL 130 2.45 5.36 $ 30.60 $ 63,650
Lake Charles, LA 230 2.25 4.93 $ 27.22 $ 56,620
Cleveland, TN 100 2.09 4.57 $ 26.96 $ 56,080
Danbury, CT 150 2.04 4.48 $ 22.65 $ 47,120
Charleston, WV 190 1.88 4.11 $ 33.46 $ 69,590
Dalton, GA 100 1.72 3.77 $ 20.18 $ 41,970
Johnson City, TN 130 1.66 3.65 $ 33.96 $ 70,630




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)
Billings, MT 40 0.51 1.11 $ 41.09 $ 85,460
Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX 520 3.39 7.42 $ 36.27 $ 75,430
Baton Rouge, LA 910 2.46 5.39 $ 35.95 $ 74,780
Brownsville-Harlingen, TX 40 0.28 0.60 $ 34.53 $ 71,820
Johnson City, TN 130 1.66 3.65 $ 33.96 $ 70,630
Charleston, WV 190 1.88 4.11 $ 33.46 $ 69,590
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 3,050 1.03 2.25 $ 31.96 $ 66,480
El Paso, TX 80 0.26 0.58 $ 31.64 $ 65,810
Terre Haute, IN 30 0.48 1.06 $ 31.38 $ 65,270
Las Vegas-Henderson-Paradise, NV 200 0.22 0.48 $ 30.87 $ 64,200

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 590 6.41 14.04 $ 30.71 $ 63,870
Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 330 2.28 4.99 $ 28.99 $ 60,300
Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area 210 1.01 2.21 $ 21.54 $ 44,800
Kansas nonmetropolitan area 210 0.54 1.19 $ 23.92 $ 49,760
North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) 160 0.51 1.12 $ 23.34 $ 48,550

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 590 6.41 14.04 $ 30.71 $ 63,870
Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 330 2.28 4.99 $ 28.99 $ 60,300
Southwest Alabama nonmetropolitan area 140 2.11 4.63 $ 31.07 $ 64,630
Northwest Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area 140 1.52 3.34 $ 32.84 $ 68,310
Northwestern Idaho nonmetropolitan area 100 1.51 3.31 $ 14.97 $ 31,130

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)
Northwest Illinois nonmetropolitan area 60 0.49 1.07 $ 42.26 $ 87,900
Western Wyoming nonmetropolitan area 50 0.57 1.25 $ 36.58 $ 76,080
Alaska nonmetropolitan area 60 0.63 1.37 $ 34.45 $ 71,650
Northwest Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area 140 1.52 3.34 $ 32.84 $ 68,310
Southwest Louisiana nonmetropolitan area 70 0.98 2.16 $ 32.51 $ 67,620


About May 2020 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 2020 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2020 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 31, 2021