Chemists Salary
Chemists in Vallejo, CA make a median of $81,470 a year, or about $39.17 an hour. The range runs from $54K at the entry level to $129K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 108.48), so that salary is closer to $75,101 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,178/month, about 42.6% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $81K get you in Vallejo?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Vallejo’s Regional Price Parity (108.48). 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 Vallejo
Pay for chemists in Vallejo runs about 11% below the U.S. median of $91K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,178/month, which is 42.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 8% above the national average (BEA RPP 108.48), so groceries and services cost more too. 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 Vallejo, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $87K | $77K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $128K | $111K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $95K | $85K |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara | $115K | $104K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Vallejo, CA
Entry-level chemists (10th percentile) start around $54K. Mid-career wages sit at $81K. Top earners bring in $129K or more, a $75K 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 Vallejo numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a chemist afford a 2BR apartment alone in Vallejo?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $81K, rent takes 42.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,178/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,500/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for chemists in Vallejo?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new chemists typically earn — is $54K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $3,226/month. At HUD’s $2,178/month FMR, rent would take 68% 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 Vallejo?
Local pay runs 11% below the national median — $81K here vs. $91K nationally.
How does Vallejo compare to the national average for chemists?
Vallejo pays $81K median vs. the U.S. average of $91K — that’s -11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 108.48), the purchasing-power equivalent is $75K — below the national median.
How much do chemists make in Vallejo, CA?
The median is $81,470 a year, that works out to about $39 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $53,770, and experienced chemists can clear $128,930. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $81K enough to live in Vallejo?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,166/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,178/month, which eats 42.2% 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 Vallejo?
Vallejo has a Regional Price Parity of 108.48 (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 $75,101 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.