Chemists Salary
Chemists in Bowling Green, KY make a median of $80,780 a year, or about $38.84 an hour. The range runs from $63K at the entry level to $126K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 90.18), which stretches that salary to about $89,576 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,153/month, or 22.6% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $81K get you in Bowling Green?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Bowling Green’s Regional Price Parity (90.18). 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 Bowling Green
Pay for chemists in Bowling Green runs about 11% below the U.S. median of $91K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,153/month, 22.3% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 90.18 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Bowling Green can be a reasonable trade-off for chemistss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for chemists in metros near Bowling Green, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Lexington-Fayette | $69K | $74K |
| Louisville/Jefferson County | $86K | $93K |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin | $91K | $88K |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | $79K | $82K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Bowling Green, KY
Entry-level chemists (10th percentile) start around $63K. Mid-career wages sit at $81K. Top earners bring in $126K or more, a $63K 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 Bowling Green numbers change.
Related careers in Science
Frequently asked questions
Can a chemist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Bowling Green?
Yes — at the median salary of $81K, rent takes 22.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,153/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for chemists in Bowling Green?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new chemists typically earn — is $63K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,767/month. At HUD’s $1,153/month FMR, rent would take 31% 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 Bowling Green?
Local pay runs 11% below the national median — $81K here vs. $91K nationally. Cost of living is 10% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Bowling Green compare to the national average for chemists?
Bowling Green pays $81K median vs. the U.S. average of $91K — that’s -11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 90.18), the purchasing-power equivalent is $90K — below the national median.
How much do chemists make in Bowling Green, KY?
The median is $80,780 a year, that works out to about $39 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $62,790, and experienced chemists can clear $126,110. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $81K enough to live in Bowling Green?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,165/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,153/month, which eats 22.3% 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 Bowling Green?
Bowling Green has a Regional Price Parity of 90.18 (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 $89,576 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.