Chemists Salary
Chemists in Mississippi make a median of $80,060 a year, or about $38.49 an hour. The range runs from $52K at the entry level to $131K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.9), which stretches that salary to about $90,056 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,077/month, or 21.3% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Mississippi. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $80K get you in Mississippi?
About chemists
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Mississippi
Pay for chemists in Mississippi runs about 12% below the U.S. median of $91K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,077/month, 21.2% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.9 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Mississippi can be a reasonable trade-off for chemistss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Mississippi
Entry-level chemists (10th percentile) start around $52K. Mid-career wages sit at $80K. Top earners bring in $131K or more, a $79K spread from bottom to top.
Chemists salary by metro in Mississippi
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gulfport-Biloxi | $76K | -6% | 30 |
Compare to other states
Track chemists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Mississippi numbers change.
Related careers in Science
Frequently asked questions
Can a chemist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Mississippi?
Yes — at the median salary of $80K, rent takes 21.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,077/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for chemists in Mississippi?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new chemists typically earn — is $52K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,124/month. At HUD’s $1,077/month FMR, rent would take 34% 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 Mississippi?
Local pay runs 12% below the national median — $80K here vs. $91K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Mississippi compare to the national average for chemists?
Mississippi pays $80K median vs. the U.S. average of $91K — that’s -12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.9), the purchasing-power equivalent is $90K — below the national median.
How much do chemists make in Mississippi?
The median is $80,060 a year, that works out to about $38 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $52,060, and experienced chemists can clear $130,560. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $80K enough to live in Mississippi?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,079/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,077/month, which eats 21.2% 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 Mississippi?
Mississippi has a Regional Price Parity of 88.9 (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 $90,056 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.