Chemists Salary
Chemists in Cedar Rapids, IA make a median of $80,510 a year, or about $38.71 an hour. The range runs from $66K at the entry level to $148K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.96), which stretches that salary to about $90,501 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $956/month, or 18.8% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $81K get you in Cedar Rapids?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Cedar Rapids’s Regional Price Parity (88.96). 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
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Cedar Rapids
Pay for chemists in Cedar Rapids runs about 12% below the U.S. median of $91K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $956/month, 18.8% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.96 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Cedar Rapids 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 Cedar Rapids, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Des Moines-West Des Moines | $88K | $95K |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island | $104K | $117K |
| Ames | $84K | $95K |
| Iowa City | $65K | $71K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Cedar Rapids, IA
Entry-level chemists (10th percentile) start around $66K. Mid-career wages sit at $81K. Top earners bring in $148K or more, a $81K 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 Cedar Rapids numbers change.
Related careers in Science
Frequently asked questions
Can a chemist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Cedar Rapids?
Yes — at the median salary of $81K, rent takes 18.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $956/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for chemists in Cedar Rapids?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new chemists typically earn — is $66K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,973/month. At HUD’s $956/month FMR, rent would take 24% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is chemist a high-paying job in Cedar Rapids?
Local pay runs 12% below the national median — $81K here vs. $91K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Cedar Rapids compare to the national average for chemists?
Cedar Rapids pays $81K median vs. the U.S. average of $91K — that’s -12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.96), the purchasing-power equivalent is $91K — below the national median.
How much do chemists make in Cedar Rapids, IA?
The median is $80,510 a year, that works out to about $39 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $66,210, and experienced chemists can clear $147,630. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $81K enough to live in Cedar Rapids?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,072/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $956/month, which eats 18.8% 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 Cedar Rapids?
Cedar Rapids has a Regional Price Parity of 88.96 (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 $90,501 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.