Chemical Technicians Salary
Chemical Technicians in Altoona, PA make a median of $55,650 a year, or about $26.76 an hour. The range runs from $40K at the entry level to $74K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.51), which stretches that salary to about $62,172 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,138/month, about 30.5% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $56K get you in Altoona?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Altoona’s Regional Price Parity (89.51). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About chemical technicians
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What this looks like in Altoona
Chemical technicians pay in Altoona tracks closely to the national median, $56K locally vs. $60K nationwide, a 8% difference. Rent runs $1,138/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 30.3% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.51 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for chemical technicians in metros near Altoona, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $67K | $65K |
| Pittsburgh | $51K | $54K |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | $65K | $65K |
| Reading | $62K | $64K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Altoona, PA
Entry-level chemical technicians (10th percentile) start around $40K. Mid-career wages sit at $56K. Top earners bring in $74K or more, a $34K spread from bottom to top.
Chemical Technicians pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Chemical Technicians salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Louisiana | $86K | +42% | 960 |
| Alaska | $79K | +31% | 100 |
| Delaware | $79K | +30% | 540 |
| South Carolina | $75K | +24% | 2,080 |
| Missouri | $69K | +14% | 720 |
| Massachusetts | $68K | +12% | 1,780 |
| Arizona | $66K | +9% | 390 |
| Vermont | $66K | +9% | 150 |
| Hawaii | $64K | +6% | 40 |
| Colorado | $64K | +6% | 1,180 |
| Nebraska | $63K | +4% | 280 |
| Texas | $63K | +4% | 6,090 |
| Minnesota | $62K | +3% | 870 |
| Washington | $62K | +3% | 730 |
| Illinois | $62K | +2% | 1,320 |
| Rhode Island | $62K | +2% | 190 |
| Kansas | $62K | +2% | 370 |
| Nevada | $62K | +2% | 1,050 |
| New York | $61K | +1% | 2,200 |
| Kentucky | $61K | +1% | 700 |
| Oklahoma | $60K | -1% | 610 |
| Ohio | $60K | -1% | 3,120 |
| California | $60K | -1% | 6,800 |
| Wisconsin | $59K | -2% | 1,090 |
| Pennsylvania | $59K | -2% | 2,710 |
| Indiana | $59K | -2% | 1,990 |
| North Carolina | $59K | -2% | 2,660 |
| West Virginia | $59K | -3% | 230 |
| New Jersey | $59K | -3% | 2,730 |
| Michigan | $58K | -4% | 2,220 |
| Alabama | $58K | -4% | 1,190 |
| Georgia | $58K | -4% | 850 |
| Iowa | $58K | -4% | 440 |
| Oregon | $58K | -4% | 340 |
| North Dakota | $58K | -4% | 150 |
| Connecticut | $57K | -5% | 510 |
| District of Columbia | $57K | -6% | 30 |
| Wyoming | $56K | -7% | 230 |
| New Mexico | $55K | -9% | 250 |
| Tennessee | $55K | -9% | 1,470 |
| Mississippi | $55K | -10% | 480 |
| Idaho | $55K | -10% | 170 |
| Florida | $54K | -10% | 1,840 |
| Montana | $53K | -12% | 240 |
| Virginia | $52K | -14% | 1,370 |
| Maryland | $49K | -18% | 590 |
| Maine | $49K | -18% | 100 |
| South Dakota | $49K | -19% | 90 |
| Utah | $49K | -19% | 580 |
| New Hampshire | $49K | -19% | 220 |
| Arkansas | $45K | -25% | 500 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 states
Track chemical technicians salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Altoona numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a chemical technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Altoona?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $56K, rent takes 30.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,138/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,100/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for chemical technicians in Altoona?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new chemical technicians typically earn — is $40K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,404/month. At HUD’s $1,138/month FMR, rent would take 47% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is chemical technician a high-paying job in Altoona?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $56K locally vs. $60K nationally, a 8% difference.
How does Altoona compare to the national average for chemical technicians?
Altoona pays $56K median vs. the U.S. average of $60K — that’s -8%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.51), the purchasing-power equivalent is $62K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do chemical technicians make in Altoona, PA?
The median is $55,650 a year, that works out to about $27 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $40,070, and experienced chemical technicians can clear $73,710. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $56K enough to live in Altoona?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,754/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,138/month, which eats 30.3% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a chemical technicians salary go in Altoona?
Altoona has a Regional Price Parity of 89.51 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median chemical technicians salary is worth about $62,172 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do chemical technicians get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.