Chemists Salary
Chemists in Georgia make a median of $92,750 a year, or about $44.59 an hour. The range runs from $57K at the entry level to $145K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.89), which stretches that salary to about $100,936 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,434/month, or 24.5% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Georgia. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $93K actually covers in Georgia, month by month
About chemists
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What this looks like in Georgia
Chemists pay in Georgia tracks closely to the national median, $93K locally vs. $91K nationwide, a 2% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,434/month, 24.9% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.89 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Georgia
Entry-level chemists (10th percentile) start around $57K. Mid-career wages sit at $93K. Top earners bring in $145K or more, a $88K spread from bottom to top.
Chemists salary by metro in Georgia
5 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Athens-Clarke County | $118K | +27% | 110 |
| Savannah | $103K | +11% | 50 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $98K | +6% | 730 |
| Gainesville | $93K | -0% | 30 |
| Augusta-Richmond County | $72K | -22% | 70 |
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Georgia numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a chemist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Georgia?
Yes — at the median salary of $93K, rent takes 24.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,434/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for chemists in Georgia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new chemists typically earn — is $57K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,748/month. At HUD’s $1,434/month FMR, rent would take 38% 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 Georgia?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $93K locally vs. $91K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Georgia compare to the national average for chemists?
Georgia pays $93K median vs. the U.S. average of $91K — that’s +2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $101K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do chemists make in Georgia?
The median is $92,750 a year, that works out to about $45 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $56,760, and experienced chemists can clear $144,870. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $93K enough to live in Georgia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,750/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,434/month, which eats 24.9% 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 Georgia?
Georgia has a Regional Price Parity of 91.89 (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 $100,936 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.