Chemical Technicians Salary
Chemical Technicians in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA make a median of $57,000 a year, or about $27.4 an hour. The range runs from $46K at the entry level to $69K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.7), which stretches that salary to about $62,159 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,318/month, about 35.2% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $57K get you in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Des Moines-West Des Moines’s Regional Price Parity (91.7). 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 Des Moines-West Des Moines
Chemical technicians pay in Des Moines-West Des Moines tracks closely to the national median, $57K locally vs. $60K nationwide, a 6% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,318/month, which is 35.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.7 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for chemical technicians in metros near Des Moines-West Des Moines, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Cedar Rapids | $58K | $65K |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $64K | $72K |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $62K | $60K |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington | $63K | $60K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA
Entry-level chemical technicians (10th percentile) start around $46K. Mid-career wages sit at $57K. Top earners bring in $69K or more, a $22K 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 (all 50 states + DC)
Track chemical technicians salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Des Moines-West Des Moines numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a chemical technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $57K, rent takes 35.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,318/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 Des Moines-West Des Moines?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new chemical technicians typically earn — is $46K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,788/month. At HUD’s $1,318/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 Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $57K locally vs. $60K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does Des Moines-West Des Moines compare to the national average for chemical technicians?
Des Moines-West Des Moines pays $57K median vs. the U.S. average of $60K — that’s -6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.7), the purchasing-power equivalent is $62K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do chemical technicians make in Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA?
The median is $57,000 a year, that works out to about $27 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $46,460, and experienced chemical technicians can clear $68,590. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $57K enough to live in Des Moines-West Des Moines?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,751/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,318/month, which eats 35.1% 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 Des Moines-West Des Moines?
Des Moines-West Des Moines has a Regional Price Parity of 91.7 (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 $62,159 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.