Chemists Salary
Chemists in Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI make a median of $85,770 a year, or about $41.23 an hour. The range runs from $63K at the entry level to $171K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.3), that's roughly $85,513 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,411/month, or 26% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $86K get you in Detroit-Warren-Dearborn?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Detroit-Warren-Dearborn’s Regional Price Parity (100.3). 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 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn
Chemists pay in Detroit-Warren-Dearborn tracks closely to the national median, $86K locally vs. $91K nationwide, a 6% difference. Rent runs $1,411/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 26% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 100.3) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Pay and costs are both near average, leaving limited margin for savings at the median wage.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for chemists in metros near Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood | $82K | $86K |
| Bay City | $132K | $144K |
| Midland | $106K | $115K |
| Kalamazoo-Portage | $105K | $111K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI
Entry-level chemists (10th percentile) start around $63K. Mid-career wages sit at $86K. Top earners bring in $171K or more, a $108K 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 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn numbers change.
Related careers in Science
Frequently asked questions
Can a chemist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Detroit-Warren-Dearborn?
Yes — at the median salary of $86K, rent takes 26% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,411/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for chemists in Detroit-Warren-Dearborn?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new chemists typically earn — is $63K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,775/month. At HUD’s $1,411/month FMR, rent would take 37% 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 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $86K locally vs. $91K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does Detroit-Warren-Dearborn compare to the national average for chemists?
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn pays $86K median vs. the U.S. average of $91K — that’s -6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.3), the purchasing-power equivalent is $86K — below the national median.
How much do chemists make in Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI?
The median is $85,770 a year, that works out to about $41 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $62,920, and experienced chemists can clear $170,540. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $86K enough to live in Detroit-Warren-Dearborn?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,423/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,411/month, which eats 26% 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 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn?
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn has a Regional Price Parity of 100.3 (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 $85,513 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.