Chemical Technicians Salary
Chemical Technicians in Maine make a median of $49,280 a year, or about $23.69 an hour. The range runs from $45K at the entry level to $69K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.7), that's roughly $50,440 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,281/month, about 37.7% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Maine. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $49K get you in Maine?
About chemical technicians
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What this looks like in Maine
Pay for chemical technicians in Maine runs about 18% below the U.S. median of $60K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,281/month, which is 38.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 97.7) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for chemical technicianss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Maine
Entry-level chemical technicians (10th percentile) start around $45K. Mid-career wages sit at $49K. Top earners bring in $69K or more, a $24K spread from bottom to top.
Chemical Technicians salary by metro in Maine
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Portland-South Portland | $53K | +7% | 60 |
Compare to other states
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Maine numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a chemical technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Maine?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $49K, rent takes 38.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,281/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for chemical technicians in Maine?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new chemical technicians typically earn — is $45K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,701/month. At HUD’s $1,281/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 Maine?
Local pay runs 18% below the national median — $49K here vs. $60K nationally.
How does Maine compare to the national average for chemical technicians?
Maine pays $49K median vs. the U.S. average of $60K — that’s -18%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.7), the purchasing-power equivalent is $50K — below the national median.
How much do chemical technicians make in Maine?
The median is $49,280 a year, that works out to about $24 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $45,010, and experienced chemical technicians can clear $68,850. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $49K enough to live in Maine?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,294/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,281/month, which eats 38.9% 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 Maine?
Maine has a Regional Price Parity of 97.7 (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 $50,440 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.