Chemists Salary
Chemists in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC make a median of $80,860 a year, or about $38.88 an hour. The range runs from $55K at the entry level to $117K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.49), which stretches that salary to about $91,378 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,095/month, or 21% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $81K get you in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton’s Regional Price Parity (88.49). 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 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton
Pay for chemists in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton runs about 11% below the U.S. median of $91K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,095/month, 21.3% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.49 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton 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 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Durham-Chapel Hill | $82K | $84K |
| Raleigh-Cary | $84K | $86K |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $89K | $91K |
| Wilmington | $78K | $81K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC
Entry-level chemists (10th percentile) start around $55K. Mid-career wages sit at $81K. Top earners bring in $117K or more, a $62K 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 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton numbers change.
Related careers in Science
Frequently asked questions
Can a chemist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
Yes — at the median salary of $81K, rent takes 21.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,095/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for chemists in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new chemists typically earn — is $55K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,272/month. At HUD’s $1,095/month FMR, rent would take 33% 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 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
Local pay runs 11% below the national median — $81K here vs. $91K nationally. Cost of living is 12% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton compare to the national average for chemists?
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton pays $81K median vs. the U.S. average of $91K — that’s -11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.49), the purchasing-power equivalent is $91K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do chemists make in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC?
The median is $80,860 a year, that works out to about $39 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $54,530, and experienced chemists can clear $116,850. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $81K enough to live in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,136/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,095/month, which eats 21.3% 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 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton?
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton has a Regional Price Parity of 88.49 (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 $91,378 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.