Chemists Salary
Chemists in Florida make a median of $82,740 a year, or about $39.78 an hour. The range runs from $50K at the entry level to $151K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 98.58), that's roughly $83,932 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,658/month, or 29.9% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Florida. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $83K get you in Florida?
About chemists
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What this looks like in Florida
Chemists pay in Florida tracks closely to the national median, $83K locally vs. $91K nationwide, a 9% difference. Rent runs $1,658/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 29.9% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Cost of living (RPP 98.58) 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.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Florida
Entry-level chemists (10th percentile) start around $50K. Mid-career wages sit at $83K. Top earners bring in $151K or more, a $101K spread from bottom to top.
Chemists salary by metro in Florida
12 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville | $124K | +50% | 50 |
| Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin | $106K | +28% | 30 |
| Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent | $97K | +18% | 40 |
| Gainesville | $96K | +16% | 30 |
| Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach | $91K | +10% | 30 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach | $83K | +1% | 440 |
| North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota | $83K | +0% | 40 |
| Lakeland-Winter Haven | $82K | -1% | 60 |
| Jacksonville | $81K | -2% | 120 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater | $77K | -7% | 240 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford | $73K | -12% | 130 |
| Tallahassee | $53K | -36% | 60 |
Showing 1–10 of 12 metros
Compare to other states
Track chemists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Florida numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a chemist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Florida?
Yes — at the median salary of $83K, rent takes 29.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,658/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for chemists in Florida?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new chemists typically earn — is $50K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,012/month. At HUD’s $1,658/month FMR, rent would take 55% 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 Florida?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $83K locally vs. $91K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does Florida compare to the national average for chemists?
Florida pays $83K median vs. the U.S. average of $91K — that’s -9%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 98.58), the purchasing-power equivalent is $84K — below the national median.
How much do chemists make in Florida?
The median is $82,740 a year, that works out to about $40 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $50,200, and experienced chemists can clear $150,840. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $83K enough to live in Florida?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,549/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,658/month, which eats 29.9% 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 Florida?
Florida has a Regional Price Parity of 98.58 (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 $83,932 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.