Chemists Salary
Chemists in North Carolina make a median of $82,620 a year, or about $39.72 an hour. The range runs from $58K at the entry level to $132K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.66), which stretches that salary to about $89,165 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,284/month, or 24.1% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across North Carolina. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $83K actually covers in North Carolina, month by month
About chemists
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What this looks like in North Carolina
Chemists pay in North Carolina tracks closely to the national median, $83K locally vs. $91K nationwide, a 9% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,284/month, 24.5% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.66 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% 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, North Carolina
Entry-level chemists (10th percentile) start around $58K. Mid-career wages sit at $83K. Top earners bring in $132K or more, a $74K spread from bottom to top.
Chemists salary by metro in North Carolina
9 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Winston-Salem | $98K | +19% | 240 |
| Greensboro-High Point | $98K | +18% | 300 |
| Fayetteville | $92K | +11% | 30 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $89K | +8% | 650 |
| Raleigh-Cary | $84K | +2% | 740 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill | $82K | -1% | 1,140 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton | $81K | -2% | 110 |
| Wilmington | $78K | -5% | 400 |
| Asheville | $67K | -19% | 40 |
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when North Carolina 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 North Carolina?
Yes — at the median salary of $83K, rent takes 24.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,284/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for chemists in North Carolina?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new chemists typically earn — is $58K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,847/month. At HUD’s $1,284/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 North Carolina?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $83K locally vs. $91K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does North Carolina compare to the national average for chemists?
North Carolina pays $83K median vs. the U.S. average of $91K — that’s -9%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.66), the purchasing-power equivalent is $89K — below the national median.
How much do chemists make in North Carolina?
The median is $82,620 a year, that works out to about $40 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $58,170, and experienced chemists can clear $132,020. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $83K enough to live in North Carolina?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,233/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,284/month, which eats 24.5% 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 North Carolina?
North Carolina has a Regional Price Parity of 92.66 (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 $89,165 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.