19
Chemists is a notable career in the 19 category. This page provides verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0 (2024), helping you compare Chemists against similar careers and make data-driven decisions.
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11
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13
| soc | 19-2031 |
| title | Chemists |
| onet code | 19-2031.00 |
| description | Conduct qualitative and quantitative chemical analyses or experiments in laboratories for quality or process control or to develop new products or knowledge. |
| job zone | 4 |
| major group | 19 |
| tot emp | 83,250 |
| a mean | 95,940 |
| a median | 84,150 |
| a pct10 | 53,210 |
| a pct25 | 63,930 |
| a pct75 | 120,210 |
| a pct90 | 154,430 |
| h mean | 46 |
| h median | 40 |
The day-to-day work of a chemists typically centers on develop, improve, or customize products, equipment, formulas, processes, or analytical methods. Every task listed below is classified as Core in O*NET — they collectively define the role. Task descriptions below are quoted from the U.S. Department of Labor's O*NET 29.0 occupation profile.
Workers in this occupation rely most on Science, Reading Comprehension, and Critical Thinking. Across the top 10 skills, the average O*NET importance score is 3.80 out of 5 — highly rated for this role. Importance reflects how essential each skill is for adequate job performance.
Among working chemists, the most common entry qualification is a Bachelor's Degree (55.9%). Bachelor's-degree-or-higher credentials are reported by 100% of incumbents. This is a degree-heavy profession — most incumbents hold a four-year degree or beyond.
Median annual pay is highest in District of Columbia at $153,320 and lowest in Maine at $58,750 — a 2.6× spread. The top five states (District of Columbia, New Mexico, Maryland, Massachusetts, Delaware) average $134,400. Figures reflect BLS OEWS May 2024 state-level wage estimates; percentiles shown are for full-time wage-earners in each state.
| State | Median | Mean | 10th % | 90th % | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $153,320 | $148,470 | $106,720 | $191,880 | 250 |
| New Mexico | $134,370 | $129,290 | $52,020 | $200,990 | 210 |
| Maryland | $131,910 | $132,260 | $68,790 | $191,880 | 3,000 |
| Massachusetts | $126,970 | $125,580 | $70,430 | $177,010 | 3,340 |
| Delaware | $125,430 | $124,920 | $78,060 | $174,160 | 1,180 |
| Louisiana | $109,150 | $115,280 | $62,730 | $169,540 | 630 |
| West Virginia | $108,010 | $112,080 | $57,000 | $168,170 | 270 |
| Texas | $101,260 | $106,730 | $58,390 | $160,970 | 5,490 |
| Virginia | $99,810 | $104,720 | $57,780 | $159,330 | 1,340 |
| Colorado | $97,380 | $105,080 | $58,780 | $168,730 | 1,820 |
| Rhode Island | $97,300 | $100,880 | $60,770 | $151,860 | 120 |
| Illinois | $97,170 | $99,960 | $59,820 | $154,280 | 3,250 |
| California | $97,010 | $105,500 | $58,750 | $164,640 | 8,480 |
| Alabama | $96,000 | $100,510 | $58,900 | $156,100 | 630 |
| Alaska | $95,300 | $92,230 | $55,370 | $130,430 | 40 |
| Georgia | $94,890 | $96,540 | $52,000 | $142,060 | 1,080 |
| Washington | $92,860 | $100,010 | $57,970 | $151,860 | 1,780 |
| Connecticut | $88,340 | $99,260 | $51,860 | $162,640 | 830 |
| New Jersey | $85,010 | $97,460 | $60,900 | $153,910 | 6,210 |
| Oregon | $84,150 | $90,630 | $60,750 | $127,500 | 600 |
| New York | $83,690 | $97,820 | $59,710 | $155,260 | 4,040 |
| Hawaii | $83,200 | $88,290 | $60,900 | $120,890 | 140 |
| Minnesota | $82,040 | $90,660 | $49,060 | $141,330 | 1,320 |
| Iowa | $81,830 | $91,020 | $61,550 | $134,520 | 600 |
| New Hampshire | $81,780 | $87,600 | $60,100 | $123,320 | 320 |
| Missouri | $81,720 | $94,070 | $50,280 | $151,640 | 1,750 |
| Vermont | $81,460 | $91,110 | $64,930 | $130,350 | 90 |
| Michigan | $81,410 | $91,860 | $50,760 | $143,160 | 3,200 |
| Ohio | $80,360 | $89,870 | $56,950 | $131,400 | 4,020 |
| Oklahoma | $79,990 | $83,870 | $47,590 | $130,750 | 690 |
| Kentucky | $79,800 | $84,040 | $50,140 | $124,080 | 610 |
| North Dakota | $79,350 | $86,320 | $47,310 | $134,410 | 140 |
| Arizona | $79,330 | $88,520 | $53,160 | $127,440 | 870 |
| North Carolina | $78,400 | $85,160 | $52,270 | $125,920 | 5,140 |
| Mississippi | $78,260 | $87,500 | $46,380 | $139,060 | 170 |
| South Carolina | $77,900 | $86,570 | $51,740 | $133,430 | 800 |
| Utah | $77,270 | $82,530 | $49,890 | $124,500 | 740 |
| Wyoming | $76,570 | $84,910 | $46,080 | $120,160 | 60 |
| Indiana | $75,880 | $83,770 | $50,020 | $131,120 | 2,070 |
| Wisconsin | $75,020 | $78,100 | $49,270 | $106,520 | 1,990 |
| Florida | $74,860 | $78,680 | $44,990 | $121,140 | 1,660 |
| Nevada | $72,810 | $76,720 | $47,060 | $108,880 | 190 |
| Arkansas | $71,080 | $81,850 | $45,710 | $122,720 | 390 |
| Nebraska | $67,880 | $77,930 | $57,400 | $122,010 | 360 |
| Kansas | $66,310 | $77,550 | $48,350 | $122,280 | 580 |
| Tennessee | $65,340 | $75,250 | $43,540 | $121,990 | 820 |
| South Dakota | $64,480 | $68,940 | $50,460 | $93,090 | 150 |
| Pennsylvania | $63,450 | $76,790 | $47,180 | $128,480 | 9,070 |
| Montana | $60,100 | $69,060 | $46,110 | $102,560 | 260 |
| Idaho | $59,460 | $74,150 | $33,900 | $130,770 | 360 |
| Maine | $58,750 | $64,990 | $45,500 | $107,700 | 160 |
Recruiters and job boards use several alternate titles for chemists. Knowing these variants widens your job search — listings for Agricultural Chemist or Air Quality Chemist frequently describe the same role. The list below is a sample of the most common industry variants.
This data helps you understand how Chemists compares to others in the 19 category. Use it to make informed decisions based on verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0.
careers with the closest data values to Chemists
The CertifyWize editorial team aggregates and verifies careers data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0. Every statistic on this site is cross-referenced against the official source before publication, with quarterly re-verification cycles.
Read our full methodology or contact us with corrections.
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