Chemists Salary
Chemists in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO make a median of $102,390 a year, or about $49.23 an hour. The range runs from $64K at the entry level to $171K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 105.78), so that salary is closer to $96,795 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,169/month, about 32.9% of take-home, which is tight.
Where the paycheck goes
What $102K actually covers in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, month by month
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Denver-Aurora-Centennial’s Regional Price Parity (105.78). 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 Denver-Aurora-Centennial
Denver-Aurora-Centennial sits well above the national pay line for chemists, local pay runs about 12% higher than the U.S. median of $91K. Rent runs $2,169/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 34.3% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost-of-living overall is 6% above the national average (BEA RPP 105.78), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for chemists in metros near Denver-Aurora-Centennial, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Boulder | $106K | $100K |
| Fort Collins-Loveland | $83K | $82K |
| Salt Lake City-Murray | $80K | $79K |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler | $78K | $76K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO
Entry-level chemists (10th percentile) start around $64K. Mid-career wages sit at $102K. Top earners bring in $171K or more, a $107K 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
Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a chemist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $102K, rent takes 34.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,169/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for chemists in Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new chemists typically earn — is $64K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,223/month. At HUD’s $2,169/month FMR, rent would take 51% 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 Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
Local pay is 12% above the national median — $102K here vs. $91K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 6% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Denver-Aurora-Centennial compare to the national average for chemists?
Denver-Aurora-Centennial pays $102K median vs. the U.S. average of $91K — that’s +12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 105.78), the purchasing-power equivalent is $97K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do chemists make in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO?
The median is $102,390 a year, that works out to about $49 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $64,120, and experienced chemists can clear $171,250. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $102K enough to live in Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,326/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,169/month, which eats 34.3% 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 Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
Denver-Aurora-Centennial has a Regional Price Parity of 105.78 (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 $96,795 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.