Chemists Salary
Chemists in Roanoke, VA make a median of $86,720 a year, or about $41.69 an hour. The range runs from $49K at the entry level to $142K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 93.62), which stretches that salary to about $92,630 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,254/month, or 22.9% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $87K get you in Roanoke?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Roanoke’s Regional Price Parity (93.62). 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 Roanoke
Chemists pay in Roanoke tracks closely to the national median, $87K locally vs. $91K nationwide, a 5% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,254/month, 23.2% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 93.62 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 6% 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 Roanoke, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Richmond | $88K | $89K |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $82K | $84K |
| Charlottesville | $87K | $88K |
| Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford | $97K | $104K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Roanoke, VA
Entry-level chemists (10th percentile) start around $49K. Mid-career wages sit at $87K. Top earners bring in $142K or more, a $93K 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 Roanoke numbers change.
Related careers in Science
Frequently asked questions
Can a chemist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Roanoke?
Yes — at the median salary of $87K, rent takes 23.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,254/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for chemists in Roanoke?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new chemists typically earn — is $49K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,966/month. At HUD’s $1,254/month FMR, rent would take 42% 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 Roanoke?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $87K locally vs. $91K nationally, a 5% difference.
How does Roanoke compare to the national average for chemists?
Roanoke pays $87K median vs. the U.S. average of $91K — that’s -5%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 93.62), the purchasing-power equivalent is $93K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do chemists make in Roanoke, VA?
The median is $86,720 a year, that works out to about $42 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $49,440, and experienced chemists can clear $142,020. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $87K enough to live in Roanoke?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,410/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,254/month, which eats 23.2% 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 Roanoke?
Roanoke has a Regional Price Parity of 93.62 (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 $92,630 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.