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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2022

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)
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


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)
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


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 2022


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


Map of location quotient of chemists by state, May 2022


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


Map of annual mean wages of chemists by state, May 2022


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



Map of employment of chemists by area, May 2022


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


Map of location quotient of chemists by area, May 2022


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


Map of annual mean wages of chemists by area, May 2022


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


About May 2022 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 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

May 2022 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: April 25, 2023