Chemists Salary
Chemists in Boise City, ID make a median of $78,930 a year, or about $37.95 an hour. The range runs from $37K at the entry level to $139K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.39), that's roughly $80,222 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,655/month, about 31.9% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $79K get you in Boise City?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Boise City’s Regional Price Parity (98.39). 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 Boise City
Pay for chemists in Boise City runs about 13% below the U.S. median of $91K. Rent runs $1,655/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 32.9% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 98.39) 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 Boise City, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Idaho Falls | $86K | $91K |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue | $88K | $79K |
| Salt Lake City-Murray | $80K | $79K |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro | $95K | $90K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Boise City, ID
Entry-level chemists (10th percentile) start around $37K. Mid-career wages sit at $79K. Top earners bring in $139K 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
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Boise City numbers change.
Related careers in Science
Frequently asked questions
Can a chemist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Boise City?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $79K, rent takes 32.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,655/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,500/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for chemists in Boise City?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new chemists typically earn — is $37K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,234/month. At HUD’s $1,655/month FMR, rent would take 74% 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 Boise City?
Local pay runs 13% below the national median — $79K here vs. $91K nationally.
How does Boise City compare to the national average for chemists?
Boise City pays $79K median vs. the U.S. average of $91K — that’s -13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.39), the purchasing-power equivalent is $80K — below the national median.
How much do chemists make in Boise City, ID?
The median is $78,930 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $37,230, and experienced chemists can clear $138,540. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $79K enough to live in Boise City?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,033/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,655/month, which eats 32.9% 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 chemists salary go in Boise City?
Boise City has a Regional Price Parity of 98.39 (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 chemists salary is worth about $80,222 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.