Chemical Technicians
Chemical Technicians (SOC 19-4031) earn a median $60,390 a year ($29.03 an hour) in the United States, with 57,540 employed as of May 2025; the highest-paying state is Louisiana.
What chemical technicians do
Chemical technicians run chemical and physical tests that help chemists and chemical engineers analyze solids, liquids, and gases. The results are used in research and development of new products and processes, in quality control and in maintaining environmental standards. Typical tasks include setting up and carrying out chemical experiments, tests, and analyses with techniques such as chromatography, monitoring product quality to make sure it meets standards and specifications, and maintaining, cleaning, and sterilizing laboratory instruments and equipment. They also prepare samples and solutions, record data, and write up results for the scientists they support. The occupation differs from chemists, who design the studies and interpret results, from chemical plant and system operators, who control production equipment, and from biological and food science technicians, who work on biological materials and food. They also take part in safety programs and committees and give technical support to chemists or engineers.
Typical entry: According to O*NET, the most commonly reported education level is a bachelor's degree.
Also called: Analytical Technician, Assayer, Analysis Tester, Bleach Analyst, Chemical Analyst.
National wage percentiles, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $20.07 | $23.33 | $29.03 | $36.49 | $44.25 | $30.72 | 57,540 |
| Annual | $41,740 | $48,530 | $60,390 | $75,900 | $92,040 | $63,900 | ||
Employment per 1,000 jobs and the location quotient are area measures; they appear in the state and metro tables below. To see what a wage in this range leaves after tax, use FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Where chemical technicians earn and work most
Five highest-paying states
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Louisiana | Hourly | $22.93 | $33.44 | $41.28 | $49.43 | $53.82 | $41.21 | 960 | 0.50 | 1.34 |
| Annual | $47,690 | $69,560 | $85,850 | $102,810 | $111,950 | $85,720 | ||||
| Alaska | Hourly | $23.46 | $27.25 | $38.17 | $41.57 | $55.01 | $36.55 | 100 | 0.30 | 0.82 |
| Annual | $48,800 | $56,680 | $79,380 | $86,470 | $114,430 | $76,020 | ||||
| Delaware | Hourly | $21.41 | $31.28 | $37.80 | $39.59 | $45.51 | $34.67 | 540 | 1.12 | 3.02 |
| Annual | $44,520 | $65,060 | $78,620 | $82,350 | $94,660 | $72,110 | ||||
| South Carolina | Hourly | $23.49 | $26.64 | $36.07 | $36.49 | $39.34 | $32.84 | 2,080 | 0.90 | 2.43 |
| Annual | $48,860 | $55,410 | $75,020 | $75,900 | $81,820 | $68,300 | ||||
| Missouri | Hourly | $21.13 | $25.26 | $32.96 | $40.58 | $48.63 | $33.99 | 720 | 0.25 | 0.66 |
| Annual | $43,960 | $52,540 | $68,550 | $84,400 | $101,140 | $70,700 | ||||
Five states with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $21.19 | $23.95 | $28.61 | $35.42 | $42.74 | $31.04 | 6,800 | 0.37 | 1.01 |
| Annual | $44,070 | $49,810 | $59,510 | $73,680 | $88,900 | $64,570 | ||||
| Texas | Hourly | $21.14 | $23.84 | $30.09 | $41.30 | $50.79 | $33.89 | 6,090 | 0.43 | 1.17 |
| Annual | $43,970 | $49,580 | $62,580 | $85,910 | $105,650 | $70,480 | ||||
| Ohio | Hourly | $20.19 | $23.04 | $28.73 | $35.06 | $41.54 | $29.88 | 3,120 | 0.56 | 1.52 |
| Annual | $42,000 | $47,910 | $59,750 | $72,930 | $86,390 | $62,150 | ||||
| New Jersey | Hourly | $22.30 | $24.58 | $28.16 | $34.67 | $39.13 | $29.80 | 2,730 | 0.64 | 1.72 |
| Annual | $46,380 | $51,130 | $58,580 | $72,110 | $81,390 | $61,990 | ||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | $19.76 | $22.93 | $28.57 | $36.13 | $41.30 | $29.94 | 2,710 | 0.45 | 1.21 |
| Annual | $41,090 | $47,690 | $59,420 | $75,150 | $85,890 | $62,260 | ||||
Five highest-paying metropolitan areas
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Baton Rouge, LA | Hourly | $32.93 | $39.79 | $44.29 | $51.69 | $57.07 | $45.42 | 410 | 1.01 | 2.72 |
| Annual | $68,490 | $82,750 | $92,120 | $107,500 | $118,700 | $94,470 | ||||
| Lake Charles, LA | Hourly | $28.93 | $35.96 | $42.68 | $50.81 | $54.79 | $42.95 | 150 | 1.45 | 3.91 |
| Annual | $60,180 | $74,800 | $88,780 | $105,690 | $113,950 | $89,340 | ||||
| Evansville, IN | Hourly | $18.62 | $24.63 | $40.98 | $50.35 | $50.89 | $37.19 | 220 | 1.66 | 4.48 |
| Annual | $38,730 | $51,220 | $85,230 | $104,730 | $105,850 | $77,350 | ||||
| Midland, MI | Hourly | $30.19 | $39.49 | $39.80 | $39.80 | $39.80 | $37.65 | 50 | 1.43 | 3.86 |
| Annual | $62,800 | $82,140 | $82,780 | $82,780 | $82,780 | $78,310 | ||||
| Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | Hourly | $19.15 | $23.69 | $38.66 | $41.37 | $48.09 | $34.65 | 50 | 0.34 | 0.90 |
| Annual | $39,830 | $49,270 | $80,410 | $86,040 | $100,020 | $72,070 | ||||
Five metropolitan areas with the most jobs
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | Hourly | $22.01 | $24.50 | $29.00 | $36.43 | $39.28 | $30.51 | 3,120 | 0.33 | 0.89 |
| Annual | $45,780 | $50,960 | $60,320 | $75,760 | $81,710 | $63,460 | ||||
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | Hourly | $21.41 | $24.22 | $31.28 | $47.59 | $53.27 | $35.79 | 2,620 | 0.80 | 2.15 |
| Annual | $44,540 | $50,380 | $65,050 | $98,980 | $110,810 | $74,450 | ||||
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | Hourly | $20.55 | $24.01 | $27.92 | $34.08 | $40.13 | $30.48 | 2,330 | 0.37 | 1.00 |
| Annual | $42,750 | $49,950 | $58,070 | $70,890 | $83,480 | $63,410 | ||||
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | Hourly | $22.08 | $26.70 | $32.18 | $39.67 | $45.93 | $33.84 | 1,370 | 0.47 | 1.28 |
| Annual | $45,920 | $55,530 | $66,940 | $82,500 | $95,540 | $70,390 | ||||
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | Hourly | $23.43 | $29.17 | $32.62 | $39.52 | $45.46 | $34.09 | 1,240 | 0.46 | 1.24 |
| Annual | $48,730 | $60,660 | $67,850 | $82,190 | $94,570 | $70,920 | ||||
Top industries employing chemical technicians
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services employ 20.4% of chemical technicians nationally (11,710 jobs) at a median $49,450 a year ($23.78 an hour), followed by Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) (16.9%) and Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing (9.4%).
| Industry | Employment | Share of occupation | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services NAICS 541300 | 11,710 | 20.4% | $49,450 | $23.78 |
| Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) NAICS 3250A1 | 9,740 | 16.9% | $66,880 | $32.15 |
| Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing NAICS 325400 | 5,380 | 9.4% | $61,430 | $29.53 |
| Scientific Research and Development Services NAICS 541700 | 4,670 | 8.1% | $63,690 | $30.62 |
| Chemical Manufacturing (3255 and 3256 only) NAICS 3250A2 | 2,480 | 4.3% | $60,720 | $29.19 |
Share is the industry's employment over the occupation's national employment (57,540). Industries whose employment BLS withheld are not ranked.
Published medians, May 2021 to May 2025
BLS published a median annual wage of $48,990 for chemical technicians in May 2021 and $60,390 in May 2025, with employment of 57,690 and 57,540.
| Release | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2021 | $48,990 | $23.56 | 57,690 |
| May 2022 | $50,840 | $24.44 | 56,030 |
| May 2023 | $56,750 | $27.29 | 55,880 |
| May 2024 | $57,790 | $27.78 | 55,640 |
| May 2025 | $60,390 | $29.03 | 57,540 |
BLS does not design OEWS as a time series: each release pools three years of samples, and occupational classifications, area definitions and estimation methods change between releases, so a difference between two releases is not a measure of change over time. The figures are shown as published, side by side, and nothing is computed from them. See how often OEWS is updated.
Every state, by median wage
51 states and DC publish a row for this occupation. A linked state has its own page with the within-state metro table and comparison; the others appear here only.
| Rank | State | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Louisiana profile | $41.28 | $85,850 | $47,690 | $111,950 | 960 | 0.50 | 1.34 |
| 2 | Alaska profile | $38.17 | $79,380 | $48,800 | $114,430 | 100 | 0.30 | 0.82 |
| 3 | Delaware profile | $37.80 | $78,620 | $44,520 | $94,660 | 540 | 1.12 | 3.02 |
| 4 | South Carolina profile | $36.07 | $75,020 | $48,860 | $81,820 | 2,080 | 0.90 | 2.43 |
| 5 | Missouri profile | $32.96 | $68,550 | $43,960 | $101,140 | 720 | 0.25 | 0.66 |
| 6 | Massachusetts profile | $32.48 | $67,570 | $48,730 | $92,720 | 1,780 | 0.49 | 1.32 |
| 7 | Arizona profile | $31.66 | $65,860 | $46,140 | $93,040 | 390 | 0.12 | 0.32 |
| 8 | Vermont profile | $31.52 | $65,560 | $49,530 | $89,040 | 150 | 0.51 | 1.37 |
| 9 | Hawaii profile | $30.73 | $63,910 | $45,760 | $118,610 | 40 | 0.07 | 0.18 |
| 10 | Colorado profile | $30.66 | $63,770 | $46,850 | $94,970 | 1,180 | 0.41 | 1.11 |
| 11 | Nebraska profile | $30.12 | $62,640 | $39,420 | $86,200 | 280 | 0.28 | 0.74 |
| 12 | Texas profile | $30.09 | $62,580 | $43,970 | $105,650 | 6,090 | 0.43 | 1.17 |
| 13 | Minnesota profile | $30.00 | $62,400 | $48,030 | $92,550 | 870 | 0.30 | 0.80 |
| 14 | Washington profile | $29.86 | $62,100 | $46,390 | $87,610 | 730 | 0.21 | 0.55 |
| 15 | Illinois profile | $29.76 | $61,890 | $40,490 | $95,520 | 1,320 | 0.22 | 0.58 |
| 16 | Rhode Island profile | $29.66 | $61,680 | $38,060 | $102,540 | 190 | 0.38 | 1.02 |
| 17 | Kansas profile | $29.59 | $61,560 | $43,170 | $80,840 | 370 | 0.26 | 0.70 |
| 18 | Nevada profile | $29.58 | $61,520 | $44,480 | $86,720 | 1,050 | 0.68 | 1.82 |
| 19 | New York profile | $29.28 | $60,900 | $41,600 | $83,190 | 2,200 | 0.23 | 0.61 |
| 20 | Kentucky profile | $29.25 | $60,830 | $40,940 | $97,810 | 700 | 0.35 | 0.94 |
| 21 | Oklahoma profile | $28.86 | $60,020 | $35,410 | $97,380 | 610 | 0.36 | 0.96 |
| 22 | Ohio profile | $28.73 | $59,750 | $42,000 | $86,390 | 3,120 | 0.56 | 1.52 |
| 23 | California profile | $28.61 | $59,510 | $44,070 | $88,900 | 6,800 | 0.37 | 1.01 |
| 24 | Wisconsin profile | $28.58 | $59,440 | $41,320 | $81,830 | 1,090 | 0.37 | 1.00 |
| 25 | Pennsylvania profile | $28.57 | $59,420 | $41,090 | $85,890 | 2,710 | 0.45 | 1.21 |
| 26 | Indiana profile | $28.50 | $59,290 | $37,650 | $94,300 | 1,990 | 0.62 | 1.68 |
| 27 | North Carolina profile | $28.38 | $59,030 | $45,280 | $83,110 | 2,660 | 0.54 | 1.46 |
| 28 | West Virginia profile | $28.24 | $58,750 | $40,570 | $81,810 | 230 | 0.33 | 0.89 |
| 29 | New Jersey profile | $28.16 | $58,580 | $46,380 | $81,390 | 2,730 | 0.64 | 1.72 |
| 30 | Michigan profile | $27.97 | $58,180 | $44,520 | $85,520 | 2,220 | 0.50 | 1.36 |
| 31 | Alabama profile | $27.96 | $58,150 | $37,990 | $84,930 | 1,190 | 0.57 | 1.53 |
| 32 | Georgia profile | $27.94 | $58,120 | $42,560 | $94,070 | 850 | 0.17 | 0.47 |
| 33 | Iowa profile | $27.93 | $58,090 | $44,750 | $74,070 | 440 | 0.28 | 0.77 |
| 34 | Oregon profile | $27.87 | $57,960 | $43,840 | $73,060 | 340 | 0.17 | 0.46 |
| 35 | North Dakota profile | $27.77 | $57,760 | $46,840 | $71,260 | 150 | 0.34 | 0.93 |
| 36 | Connecticut profile | $27.56 | $57,310 | $41,040 | $81,630 | 510 | 0.30 | 0.81 |
| 37 | District of Columbia profile | $27.18 | $56,530 | $38,670 | $69,820 | 30 | 0.04 | 0.12 |
| 38 | Wyoming profile | $27.08 | $56,320 | $39,180 | $106,290 | 230 | 0.82 | 2.21 |
| 39 | New Mexico profile | $26.50 | $55,120 | $45,840 | $97,680 | 250 | 0.28 | 0.76 |
| 40 | Tennessee profile | $26.36 | $54,840 | $41,290 | $77,990 | 1,470 | 0.45 | 1.21 |
| 41 | Mississippi profile | $26.24 | $54,580 | $36,150 | $81,690 | 480 | 0.42 | 1.13 |
| 42 | Idaho profile | $26.23 | $54,560 | $36,040 | $77,080 | 170 | 0.19 | 0.52 |
| 43 | Florida profile | $25.99 | $54,050 | $39,200 | $75,560 | 1,840 | 0.19 | 0.50 |
| 44 | Montana profile | $25.43 | $52,890 | $41,510 | $102,620 | 240 | 0.48 | 1.29 |
| 45 | Virginia profile | $24.93 | $51,850 | $34,390 | $80,680 | 1,370 | 0.33 | 0.90 |
| 46 | Maine profile | $23.69 | $49,280 | $45,010 | $68,850 | 100 | 0.16 | 0.43 |
| 47 | Maryland profile | $23.69 | $49,280 | $33,550 | $73,090 | 590 | 0.22 | 0.58 |
| 48 | South Dakota profile | $23.57 | $49,030 | $41,530 | $60,430 | 90 | 0.20 | 0.54 |
| 49 | Utah profile | $23.57 | $49,030 | $38,550 | $86,590 | 580 | 0.33 | 0.90 |
| 50 | New Hampshire profile | $23.53 | $48,940 | $32,960 | $65,020 | 220 | 0.33 | 0.88 |
| 51 | Arkansas profile | $21.74 | $45,230 | $35,190 | $83,040 | 500 | 0.38 | 1.04 |
Part of Life, Physical, and Social Science Occupations. Compare any area in the wage explorer.
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS 19-4031 Chemical Technicians.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.
- Top industries: nat4d_M2025_dl.xlsx in oesm25in4.zip (BLS OEWS May 2025, national, 4-digit NAICS, cross-ownership). Employment is the industry's rounded total for this occupation; industries whose employment BLS withheld (**) are not ranked.
- Published medians: national_M2021_dl.xlsx to national_M2024_dl.xlsx in oesm21nat.zip to oesm24nat.zip (BLS OEWS May 2021 to May 2024, national, cross-industry, all ownerships) and the May 2025 spine. Each release is shown as published; nothing is computed between them.
Sources
- BLS Standard Occupational Classification 2018, definition of 19-4031, U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- O*NET 30.1 Database, 19-4031.00, National Center for O*NET Development, USDOL/ETA (CC BY 4.0).
- OEWS May 2025 national industry-specific estimates, 4-digit NAICS (oesm25in4.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2021 national estimates (oesm21nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2022 national estimates (oesm22nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2023 national estimates (oesm23nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2024 national estimates (oesm24nat.zip), US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
- OEWS May 2025 national estimates (oesm25nat.zip), the site's data spine, US Bureau of Labor Statistics (public domain).
Includes information from O*NET 30.1 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.
Description written 2026-10-17 in our own words from the sources above.