Chemists Salary
Chemists in Portland-South Portland, ME make a median of $64,320 a year, or about $30.93 an hour. The range runs from $51K at the entry level to $120K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 101.86), that's roughly $63,145 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,130/month, about 50.7% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $64K get you in Portland-South Portland?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Portland-South Portland’s Regional Price Parity (101.86). 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 Portland-South Portland
Pay for chemists in Portland-South Portland runs about 30% below the U.S. median of $91K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,130/month, which is 50.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 101.86) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for chemistss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for chemists in metros near Portland-South Portland, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Manchester-Nashua | $100K | $95K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Portland-South Portland, ME
Entry-level chemists (10th percentile) start around $51K. Mid-career wages sit at $64K. Top earners bring in $120K or more, a $70K 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 Portland-South Portland numbers change.
Related careers in Science
Frequently asked questions
Can a chemist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Portland-South Portland?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $64K, rent takes 50.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,130/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,300/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for chemists in Portland-South Portland?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new chemists typically earn — is $51K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,038/month. At HUD’s $2,130/month FMR, rent would take 70% 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 Portland-South Portland?
Local pay runs 30% below the national median — $64K here vs. $91K nationally.
How does Portland-South Portland compare to the national average for chemists?
Portland-South Portland pays $64K median vs. the U.S. average of $91K — that’s -30%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 101.86), the purchasing-power equivalent is $63K — below the national median.
How much do chemists make in Portland-South Portland, ME?
The median is $64,320 a year, that works out to about $31 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $50,640, and experienced chemists can clear $120,430. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $64K enough to live in Portland-South Portland?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,209/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,130/month, which eats 50.6% 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 Portland-South Portland?
Portland-South Portland has a Regional Price Parity of 101.86 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median chemists salary is worth about $63,145 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.