Chemists Salary
Chemists in Bakersfield-Delano, CA make a median of $97,570 a year, or about $46.91 an hour. The range runs from $59K at the entry level to $160K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.89), that's roughly $96,709 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,483/month, or 24.2% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $98K get you in Bakersfield-Delano?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Bakersfield-Delano’s Regional Price Parity (100.89). 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 chemists
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What this looks like in Bakersfield-Delano
Chemists pay in Bakersfield-Delano tracks closely to the national median, $98K locally vs. $91K nationwide, a 7% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,483/month, 24.8% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 100.89) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for chemists in metros near Bakersfield-Delano, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $87K | $77K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $128K | $111K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $95K | $85K |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $115K | $104K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Bakersfield-Delano, CA
Entry-level chemists (10th percentile) start around $59K. Mid-career wages sit at $98K. Top earners bring in $160K or more, a $101K spread from bottom to top.
Chemists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Chemists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $150K | +64% | 280 |
| Maryland | $141K | +54% | 2,480 |
| Delaware | $130K | +42% | 1,200 |
| New Mexico | $127K | +39% | 280 |
| Massachusetts | $125K | +37% | 3,430 |
| Alaska | $106K | +16% | 60 |
| Oregon | $105K | +15% | 730 |
| Louisiana | $104K | +14% | 740 |
| Wyoming | $102K | +12% | 80 |
| Colorado | $102K | +12% | 1,790 |
| Rhode Island | $102K | +11% | 150 |
| New Hampshire | $100K | +10% | 300 |
| Texas | $100K | +9% | 5,130 |
| Minnesota | $99K | +9% | 1,680 |
| Connecticut | $98K | +8% | 1,170 |
| California | $98K | +7% | 9,820 |
| Alabama | $98K | +7% | 700 |
| Michigan | $97K | +7% | 3,490 |
| Washington | $97K | +7% | 2,280 |
| North Dakota | $97K | +7% | 160 |
| Virginia | $97K | +6% | 1,640 |
| Georgia | $93K | +2% | 1,260 |
| New York | $91K | -1% | 4,230 |
| Tennessee | $88K | -4% | 960 |
| Vermont | $86K | -6% | 80 |
| Iowa | $86K | -6% | 570 |
| West Virginia | $86K | -6% | 180 |
| Ohio | $85K | -7% | 4,010 |
| Illinois | $85K | -7% | 3,040 |
| New Jersey | $84K | -7% | 5,280 |
| Hawaii | $84K | -8% | 140 |
| Kentucky | $84K | -8% | 530 |
| Kansas | $83K | -9% | 690 |
| Missouri | $83K | -9% | 1,640 |
| Florida | $83K | -9% | 1,490 |
| North Carolina | $83K | -9% | 4,530 |
| Arizona | $82K | -10% | 870 |
| Nevada | $81K | -11% | 280 |
| Utah | $81K | -11% | 910 |
| Mississippi | $80K | -12% | 200 |
| South Carolina | $80K | -13% | 770 |
| Indiana | $79K | -14% | 2,480 |
| Wisconsin | $79K | -14% | 1,920 |
| Idaho | $78K | -15% | 320 |
| Pennsylvania | $77K | -16% | 6,800 |
| Arkansas | $76K | -17% | 380 |
| Oklahoma | $75K | -18% | 630 |
| Nebraska | $75K | -18% | 350 |
| South Dakota | $67K | -26% | 170 |
| Maine | $64K | -29% | 140 |
| Montana | $62K | -32% | 300 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track chemists salary changes
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Related careers in Science
Frequently asked questions
Can a chemist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Bakersfield-Delano?
Yes — at the median salary of $98K, rent takes 24.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,483/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for chemists in Bakersfield-Delano?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new chemists typically earn — is $59K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,544/month. At HUD’s $1,483/month FMR, rent would take 42% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is chemist a high-paying job in Bakersfield-Delano?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $98K locally vs. $91K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does Bakersfield-Delano compare to the national average for chemists?
Bakersfield-Delano pays $98K median vs. the U.S. average of $91K — that’s +7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $97K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do chemists make in Bakersfield-Delano, CA?
The median is $97,570 a year, that works out to about $47 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $59,070, and experienced chemists can clear $159,700. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $98K enough to live in Bakersfield-Delano?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,985/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,483/month, which eats 24.8% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a chemists salary go in Bakersfield-Delano?
Bakersfield-Delano has a Regional Price Parity of 100.89 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median chemists salary is worth about $96,709 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do chemists 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.