Chemical Technicians Salary
Chemical Technicians in Virginia make a median of $51,850 a year, or about $24.93 an hour. The range runs from $34K at the entry level to $81K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.79), which stretches that salary to about $54,700 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,646/month, about 48.3% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Virginia. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $52K get you in Virginia?
About chemical technicians
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Virginia
Pay for chemical technicians in Virginia runs about 14% below the U.S. median of $60K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,646/month, which is 47.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.79 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for chemical technicianss.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Virginia
Entry-level chemical technicians (10th percentile) start around $34K. Mid-career wages sit at $52K. Top earners bring in $81K or more, a $46K spread from bottom to top.
Chemical Technicians salary by metro in Virginia
5 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lynchburg | $63K | +21% | 50 |
| Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford | $58K | +11% | 120 |
| Charlottesville | $53K | +1% | 150 |
| Richmond | $51K | -2% | 360 |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $50K | -4% | 200 |
Compare to other states
Track chemical technicians salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Virginia numbers change.
Related careers in Science
Frequently asked questions
Can a chemical technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Virginia?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $52K, rent takes 47.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,646/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 Virginia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new chemical technicians typically earn — is $34K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,063/month. At HUD’s $1,646/month FMR, rent would take 80% 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 Virginia?
Local pay runs 14% below the national median — $52K here vs. $60K nationally. Cost of living is 5% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Virginia compare to the national average for chemical technicians?
Virginia pays $52K median vs. the U.S. average of $60K — that’s -14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.79), the purchasing-power equivalent is $55K — below the national median.
How much do chemical technicians make in Virginia?
The median is $51,850 a year, that works out to about $25 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $34,390, and experienced chemical technicians can clear $80,680. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $52K enough to live in Virginia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,436/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,646/month, which eats 47.9% 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 Virginia?
Virginia has a Regional Price Parity of 94.79 (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 $54,700 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.