Chemists Salary
Chemists in Oklahoma make a median of $74,960 a year, or about $36.04 an hour. The range runs from $49K at the entry level to $113K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.46), which stretches that salary to about $85,708 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,081/month, or 21.9% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Oklahoma. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $75K actually covers in Oklahoma, month by month
About chemists
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What this looks like in Oklahoma
Pay for chemists in Oklahoma runs about 18% below the U.S. median of $91K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,081/month, 22.3% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.46 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 13% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Oklahoma can be a reasonable trade-off for chemists who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Oklahoma
Entry-level chemists (10th percentile) start around $49K. Mid-career wages sit at $75K. Top earners bring in $113K or more, a $64K spread from bottom to top.
Chemists salary by metro in Oklahoma
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tulsa | $107K | +42% | 170 |
| Oklahoma City | $62K | -18% | 280 |
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Oklahoma 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 Oklahoma?
Yes — at the median salary of $75K, rent takes 22.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,081/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for chemists in Oklahoma?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new chemists typically earn — is $49K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,267/month. At HUD’s $1,081/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 Oklahoma?
Local pay runs 18% below the national median — $75K here vs. $91K nationally. Cost of living is 13% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Oklahoma compare to the national average for chemists?
Oklahoma pays $75K median vs. the U.S. average of $91K — that’s -18%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.46), the purchasing-power equivalent is $86K — below the national median.
How much do chemists make in Oklahoma?
The median is $74,960 a year, that works out to about $36 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $48,520, and experienced chemists can clear $112,920. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $75K enough to live in Oklahoma?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,838/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,081/month, which eats 22.3% 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 Oklahoma?
Oklahoma has a Regional Price Parity of 87.46 (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 $85,708 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.