Chemists Salary
Chemists in California make a median of $97,860 a year, or about $47.05 an hour. The range runs from $61K at the entry level to $164K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 106.14), so that salary is closer to $92,199 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,471/month, about 40.2% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across California. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $98K get you in California?
About chemists
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What this looks like in California
Chemists pay in California tracks closely to the national median, $98K locally vs. $91K nationwide, a 7% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,471/month, which is 41.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 6% above the national average (BEA RPP 106.14), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, California
Entry-level chemists (10th percentile) start around $61K. Mid-career wages sit at $98K. Top earners bring in $164K or more, a $103K spread from bottom to top.
Chemists salary by metro in California
19 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $128K | +31% | 2,180 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $115K | +17% | 580 |
| Bakersfield-Delano | $98K | -0% | 190 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville | $96K | -2% | 70 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $95K | -3% | 1,370 |
| Salinas | $95K | -3% | 30 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $93K | -5% | 480 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma | $92K | -6% | 80 |
| Napa | $89K | -9% | 50 |
| Visalia | $88K | -11% | 30 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $87K | -11% | 3,190 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles | $86K | -12% | 40 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara | $86K | -12% | 110 |
| Modesto | $83K | -15% | 90 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura | $83K | -15% | 220 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $82K | -16% | 400 |
| Vallejo | $81K | -17% | 130 |
| Stockton-Lodi | $80K | -18% | 70 |
| Fresno | $73K | -25% | 120 |
Showing 1–10 of 19 metros
Compare to other states
Track chemists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when California numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a chemist afford a 2BR apartment alone in California?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $98K, rent takes 41.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,471/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for chemists in California?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new chemists typically earn — is $61K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,656/month. At HUD’s $2,471/month FMR, rent would take 68% 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 California?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $98K locally vs. $91K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does California compare to the national average for chemists?
California pays $98K median vs. the U.S. average of $91K — that’s +7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 106.14), the purchasing-power equivalent is $92K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do chemists make in California?
The median is $97,860 a year, that works out to about $47 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $60,930, and experienced chemists can clear $164,150. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $98K enough to live in California?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,999/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,471/month, which eats 41.2% 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 California?
California has a Regional Price Parity of 106.14 (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 $92,199 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.