Chemists Salary
Chemists in New Jersey make a median of $84,450 a year, or about $40.6 an hour. The range runs from $61K at the entry level to $144K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 99.34), that's roughly $85,011 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,067/month, about 39% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across New Jersey. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $84K get you in New Jersey?
About chemists
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What this looks like in New Jersey
Chemists pay in New Jersey tracks closely to the national median, $84K locally vs. $91K nationwide, a 7% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,067/month, which is 38.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 99.34) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, New Jersey
Entry-level chemists (10th percentile) start around $61K. Mid-career wages sit at $84K. Top earners bring in $144K or more, a $83K spread from bottom to top.
Chemists salary by metro in New Jersey
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlantic City-Hammonton | $106K | +25% | 40 |
| Trenton-Princeton | $82K | -3% | 480 |
Compare to other states
Track chemists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when New Jersey numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a chemist afford a 2BR apartment alone in New Jersey?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $84K, rent takes 38.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,067/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,600/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for chemists in New Jersey?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new chemists typically earn — is $61K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,655/month. At HUD’s $2,067/month FMR, rent would take 57% 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 New Jersey?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $84K locally vs. $91K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does New Jersey compare to the national average for chemists?
New Jersey pays $84K median vs. the U.S. average of $91K — that’s -7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 99.34), the purchasing-power equivalent is $85K — below the national median.
How much do chemists make in New Jersey?
The median is $84,450 a year, that works out to about $41 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $60,910, and experienced chemists can clear $144,030. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $84K enough to live in New Jersey?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,379/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,067/month, which eats 38.4% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a chemists salary go in New Jersey?
New Jersey has a Regional Price Parity of 99.34 (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 $85,011 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.