Chemists Salary
Chemists in Indiana make a median of $78,770 a year, or about $37.87 an hour. The range runs from $57K at the entry level to $133K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.81), which stretches that salary to about $85,797 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,144/month, or 21.7% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Indiana. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $79K get you in Indiana?
About chemists
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What this looks like in Indiana
Pay for chemists in Indiana runs about 14% below the U.S. median of $91K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,144/month, 22.4% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.81 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Indiana can be a reasonable trade-off for chemistss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Indiana
Entry-level chemists (10th percentile) start around $57K. Mid-career wages sit at $79K. Top earners bring in $133K or more, a $76K spread from bottom to top.
Chemists salary by metro in Indiana
8 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Evansville | $95K | +21% | 140 |
| Fort Wayne | $79K | +0% | 60 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | $79K | +0% | 1,310 |
| Elkhart-Goshen | $78K | -1% | 80 |
| Bloomington | $77K | -2% | 190 |
| Terre Haute | $76K | -3% | 50 |
| South Bend-Mishawaka | $75K | -5% | 70 |
| Lafayette-West Lafayette | $52K | -34% | 120 |
Compare to other states
Track chemists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Indiana numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a chemist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Indiana?
Yes — at the median salary of $79K, rent takes 22.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,144/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for chemists in Indiana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new chemists typically earn — is $57K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,418/month. At HUD’s $1,144/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 Indiana?
Local pay runs 14% below the national median — $79K here vs. $91K nationally. Cost of living is 8% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Indiana compare to the national average for chemists?
Indiana pays $79K median vs. the U.S. average of $91K — that’s -14%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.81), the purchasing-power equivalent is $86K — below the national median.
How much do chemists make in Indiana?
The median is $78,770 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $56,960, and experienced chemists can clear $133,140. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $79K enough to live in Indiana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,117/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,144/month, which eats 22.4% 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 Indiana?
Indiana has a Regional Price Parity of 91.81 (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 $85,797 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.