Chemists Salary
Chemists in Pittsburgh, PA make a median of $74,200 a year, or about $35.67 an hour. The range runs from $49K at the entry level to $135K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.67), which stretches that salary to about $78,378 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,299/month, or 26.1% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $74K get you in Pittsburgh?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Pittsburgh’s Regional Price Parity (94.67). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About chemists
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What this looks like in Pittsburgh
Pay for chemists in Pittsburgh runs about 19% below the U.S. median of $91K. Rent runs $1,299/month for a 2-bedroom (HUD FMR), taking 26.7% of the median take-home. That's within the 30% rule, though not by much. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.67 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for chemists in metros near Pittsburgh, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $95K | $93K |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | $80K | $80K |
| York-Hanover | $94K | $98K |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle | $74K | $75K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Pittsburgh, PA
Entry-level chemists (10th percentile) start around $49K. Mid-career wages sit at $74K. Top earners bring in $135K or more, a $85K spread from bottom to top.
Chemists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Chemists salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $150K | +64% | 280 |
| Maryland | $141K | +54% | 2,480 |
| Delaware | $130K | +42% | 1,200 |
| New Mexico | $127K | +39% | 280 |
| Massachusetts | $125K | +37% | 3,430 |
| Alaska | $106K | +16% | 60 |
| Oregon | $105K | +15% | 730 |
| Louisiana | $104K | +14% | 740 |
| Wyoming | $102K | +12% | 80 |
| Colorado | $102K | +12% | 1,790 |
| Rhode Island | $102K | +11% | 150 |
| New Hampshire | $100K | +10% | 300 |
| Texas | $100K | +9% | 5,130 |
| Minnesota | $99K | +9% | 1,680 |
| Connecticut | $98K | +8% | 1,170 |
| California | $98K | +7% | 9,820 |
| Alabama | $98K | +7% | 700 |
| Michigan | $97K | +7% | 3,490 |
| Washington | $97K | +7% | 2,280 |
| North Dakota | $97K | +7% | 160 |
| Virginia | $97K | +6% | 1,640 |
| Georgia | $93K | +2% | 1,260 |
| New York | $91K | -1% | 4,230 |
| Tennessee | $88K | -4% | 960 |
| Vermont | $86K | -6% | 80 |
| Iowa | $86K | -6% | 570 |
| West Virginia | $86K | -6% | 180 |
| Ohio | $85K | -7% | 4,010 |
| Illinois | $85K | -7% | 3,040 |
| New Jersey | $84K | -7% | 5,280 |
| Hawaii | $84K | -8% | 140 |
| Kentucky | $84K | -8% | 530 |
| Kansas | $83K | -9% | 690 |
| Missouri | $83K | -9% | 1,640 |
| Florida | $83K | -9% | 1,490 |
| North Carolina | $83K | -9% | 4,530 |
| Arizona | $82K | -10% | 870 |
| Nevada | $81K | -11% | 280 |
| Utah | $81K | -11% | 910 |
| Mississippi | $80K | -12% | 200 |
| South Carolina | $80K | -13% | 770 |
| Indiana | $79K | -14% | 2,480 |
| Wisconsin | $79K | -14% | 1,920 |
| Idaho | $78K | -15% | 320 |
| Pennsylvania | $77K | -16% | 6,800 |
| Arkansas | $76K | -17% | 380 |
| Oklahoma | $75K | -18% | 630 |
| Nebraska | $75K | -18% | 350 |
| South Dakota | $67K | -26% | 170 |
| Maine | $64K | -29% | 140 |
| Montana | $62K | -32% | 300 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track chemists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Pittsburgh numbers change.
Related careers in Science
Frequently asked questions
Can a chemist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Pittsburgh?
Yes — at the median salary of $74K, rent takes 26.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,299/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for chemists in Pittsburgh?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new chemists typically earn — is $49K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,967/month. At HUD’s $1,299/month FMR, rent would take 44% 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 Pittsburgh?
Local pay runs 19% below the national median — $74K here vs. $91K nationally. Cost of living is 5% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Pittsburgh compare to the national average for chemists?
Pittsburgh pays $74K median vs. the U.S. average of $91K — that’s -19%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.67), the purchasing-power equivalent is $78K — below the national median.
How much do chemists make in Pittsburgh, PA?
The median is $74,200 a year, that works out to about $36 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $49,450, and experienced chemists can clear $134,510. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $74K enough to live in Pittsburgh?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,859/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,299/month, which eats 26.7% 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 Pittsburgh?
Pittsburgh has a Regional Price Parity of 94.67 (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 $78,378 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.