Chemists Salary in Reading, PA
Chemists in Reading, PA make a median of $75,230 a year, or about $36.17 an hour. The range runs from $57K at the entry level to $126K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.06), that's roughly $77,509 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,575/month — about 31.3% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $75K get you in Reading?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Reading’s Regional Price Parity (97.06). 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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Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Reading, PA
Entry-level chemists (10th percentile) start around $57K. Mid-career wages sit at $75K. Top earners bring in $126K or more, a $69K spread from bottom to top.
Chemists pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $153K | +82% | 250 |
| New Mexico | $134K | +60% | 210 |
| Maryland | $132K | +57% | 3,000 |
| Massachusetts | $127K | +51% | 3,340 |
| Delaware | $125K | +49% | 1,180 |
| Louisiana | $109K | +30% | 630 |
| West Virginia | $108K | +28% | 270 |
| Texas | $101K | +20% | 5,490 |
| Virginia | $100K | +19% | 1,340 |
| Rhode Island | $97K | +16% | 120 |
| Illinois | $97K | +15% | 3,250 |
| California | $97K | +15% | 8,480 |
| Alabama | $96K | +14% | 630 |
| Alaska | $95K | +13% | 40 |
| Georgia | $95K | +13% | 1,080 |
| Washington | $93K | +10% | 1,780 |
| Connecticut | $88K | +5% | 830 |
| New Jersey | $85K | +1% | 6,210 |
| Oregon | $84K | +0% | 600 |
| New York | $84K | -1% | 4,040 |
| Hawaii | $83K | -1% | 140 |
| Minnesota | $82K | -3% | 1,320 |
| Iowa | $82K | -3% | 600 |
| New Hampshire | $82K | -3% | 320 |
| Missouri | $82K | -3% | 1,750 |
| Vermont | $81K | -3% | 90 |
| Michigan | $81K | -3% | 3,200 |
| Ohio | $80K | -5% | 4,020 |
| Oklahoma | $80K | -5% | 690 |
| Kentucky | $80K | -5% | 610 |
| North Dakota | $79K | -6% | 140 |
| Arizona | $79K | -6% | 870 |
| North Carolina | $78K | -7% | 5,140 |
| Mississippi | $78K | -7% | 170 |
| South Carolina | $78K | -7% | 800 |
| Utah | $77K | -8% | 740 |
| Wyoming | $77K | -9% | 60 |
| Indiana | $76K | -10% | 2,070 |
| Wisconsin | $75K | -11% | 1,990 |
| Florida | $75K | -11% | 1,660 |
| Nevada | $73K | -13% | 190 |
| Arkansas | $71K | -16% | 390 |
| Nebraska | $68K | -19% | 360 |
| Kansas | $66K | -21% | 580 |
| Tennessee | $65K | -22% | 820 |
| South Dakota | $64K | -23% | 150 |
| Pennsylvania | $63K | -25% | 9,070 |
| Montana | $60K | -29% | 260 |
| Idaho | $59K | -29% | 360 |
| Maine | $59K | -30% | 160 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track chemists salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Reading numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
How much do chemists make in Reading, PA?
The median is $75,230 a year, that works out to about $36 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $56,960, and experienced chemists can clear $125,600. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $75K enough to live in Reading?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,917/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,575/month, which eats 32% 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 Reading?
Reading has a Regional Price Parity of 97.06 (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 $77,509 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.