Chemists Salary
Chemists in Tulsa, OK make a median of $106,690 a year, or about $51.29 an hour. The range runs from $47K at the entry level to $109K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 89.21), which stretches that salary to about $119,594 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,217/month, or 18% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $107K get you in Tulsa?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Tulsa’s Regional Price Parity (89.21). 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 Tulsa
Tulsa sits well above the national pay line for chemists, local pay runs about 17% higher than the U.S. median of $91K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,217/month, 18.5% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 89.21 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, Tulsa offers a genuinely strong financial position for chemistss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for chemists in metros near Tulsa, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma City | $62K | $68K |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $107K | $108K |
| St. Louis | $87K | $91K |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $81K | $79K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Tulsa, OK
Entry-level chemists (10th percentile) start around $47K. Mid-career wages sit at $107K. Top earners bring in $109K or more, a $63K 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 Tulsa numbers change.
Related careers in Science
Frequently asked questions
Can a chemist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Tulsa?
Yes — at the median salary of $107K, rent takes 18.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,217/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for chemists in Tulsa?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new chemists typically earn — is $47K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,790/month. At HUD’s $1,217/month FMR, rent would take 44% 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 Tulsa?
Local pay is 17% above the national median — $107K here vs. $91K nationally.
How does Tulsa compare to the national average for chemists?
Tulsa pays $107K median vs. the U.S. average of $91K — that’s +17%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 89.21), the purchasing-power equivalent is $120K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do chemists make in Tulsa, OK?
The median is $106,690 a year, that works out to about $51 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $46,500, and experienced chemists can clear $109,320. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $107K enough to live in Tulsa?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,572/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,217/month, which eats 18.5% 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 Tulsa?
Tulsa has a Regional Price Parity of 89.21 (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 $119,594 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.