Chemists Salary
Chemists in Tennessee make a median of $87,930 a year, or about $42.27 an hour. The range runs from $49K at the entry level to $133K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.78), which stretches that salary to about $97,939 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,215/month, or 20.6% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Tennessee. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $88K actually covers in Tennessee, month by month
About chemists
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What this looks like in Tennessee
Chemists pay in Tennessee tracks closely to the national median, $88K locally vs. $91K nationwide, a 4% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,215/month, 20.8% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.78 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 10% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Tennessee
Entry-level chemists (10th percentile) start around $49K. Mid-career wages sit at $88K. Top earners bring in $133K or more, a $84K spread from bottom to top.
Chemists salary by metro in Tennessee
4 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Knoxville | $100K | +13% | 100 |
| Chattanooga | $92K | +5% | 50 |
| Memphis | $77K | -12% | 120 |
| Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin | $49K | -45% | 320 |
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Track chemists salary changes
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Tennessee numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a chemist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Tennessee?
Yes — at the median salary of $88K, rent takes 20.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,215/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for chemists in Tennessee?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new chemists typically earn — is $49K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,419/month. At HUD’s $1,215/month FMR, rent would take 36% 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 Tennessee?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $88K locally vs. $91K nationally, a 4% difference.
How does Tennessee compare to the national average for chemists?
Tennessee pays $88K median vs. the U.S. average of $91K — that’s -4%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.78), the purchasing-power equivalent is $98K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do chemists make in Tennessee?
The median is $87,930 a year, that works out to about $42 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $48,530, and experienced chemists can clear $132,630. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $88K enough to live in Tennessee?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,854/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,215/month, which eats 20.8% 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 Tennessee?
Tennessee has a Regional Price Parity of 89.78 (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 $97,939 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.