Chemists Salary
Chemists in Ponce, PR make a median of $48,180 a year, or about $23.17 an hour. The range runs from $35K at the entry level to $86K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100), that's roughly $48,180 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $538/month, or 16.3% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $48K get you in Ponce?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Ponce’s Regional Price Parity (100). 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
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Ponce
Pay for chemists in Ponce runs about 47% below the U.S. median of $91K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $538/month, 15.8% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 100) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Lower pay, lower costs, Ponce can be a reasonable trade-off for chemistss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for chemists in metros near Ponce, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas | $77K | $77K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Ponce, PR
Entry-level chemists (10th percentile) start around $35K. Mid-career wages sit at $48K. Top earners bring in $86K or more, a $51K 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 Ponce numbers change.
Related careers in Science
Frequently asked questions
Can a chemist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Ponce?
Yes — at the median salary of $48K, rent takes 15.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $538/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for chemists in Ponce?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new chemists typically earn — is $35K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,095/month. At HUD’s $538/month FMR, rent would take 26% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is chemist a high-paying job in Ponce?
Local pay runs 47% below the national median — $48K here vs. $91K nationally.
How does Ponce compare to the national average for chemists?
Ponce pays $48K median vs. the U.S. average of $91K — that’s -47%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100), the purchasing-power equivalent is $48K — below the national median.
How much do chemists make in Ponce, PR?
The median is $48,180 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $34,910, and experienced chemists can clear $86,400. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $48K enough to live in Ponce?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,396/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $538/month, which eats 15.8% 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 Ponce?
Ponce has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median chemists salary is worth about $48,180 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.