California Median
$59,510
per year
Hourly Rate
$28.61
based on 2,080 hrs/yr
vs National
-1% vs US median
US median $60,390
State Rank
#23 of 51
6,800 employed here
How much does a Chemical Technician make in California?
Chemical Technicians in California take home a median of $59,510 annually — roughly $28.61 an hour — which runs 1% below the national median of $60,390.
Within California, entry-level pay starts around $44,070 while the top 10% make $88,900 or more. The middle 50% of earners fall between $49,810 and $73,680 a year.
Chemical Technician salary range in California
| Pay level | Annual salary | Hourly rate | |
|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $44,070 | $21.19 |
|
| 25th percentile (early career) | $49,810 | $23.95 |
|
| 50th percentile (median) | $59,510 | $28.61 |
|
| 75th percentile (experienced) | $73,680 | $35.42 |
|
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $88,900 | $42.74 |
|
How California compares
California ranks 23rd out of 51 states and territories for Chemical Technician pay. The top 5 best-paying states:
Chemical Technician salary in other states
Louisiana $85,850Alaska $79,380Delaware $78,620South Carolina $75,020Missouri $68,550Massachusetts $67,570Arizona $65,860Vermont $65,560Hawaii $63,910Colorado $63,770Nebraska $62,640Texas $62,580Minnesota $62,400Washington $62,100Illinois $61,890Rhode Island $61,680Kansas $61,560Nevada $61,520New York $60,900Kentucky $60,830Oklahoma $60,020Ohio $59,750Wisconsin $59,440Pennsylvania $59,420Indiana $59,290North Carolina $59,030West Virginia $58,750New Jersey $58,580Michigan $58,180Alabama $58,150Georgia $58,120Iowa $58,090Oregon $57,960North Dakota $57,760Connecticut $57,310District of Columbia $56,530Wyoming $56,320New Mexico $55,120Tennessee $54,840Mississippi $54,580Idaho $54,560Florida $54,050Montana $52,890Virginia $51,850Maine $49,280Maryland $49,280South Dakota $49,030Utah $49,030New Hampshire $48,940Arkansas $45,230
Working as a Chemical Technician in California
Nationally, about 58,000 people work as Chemical Technicians in the United States. A bachelor's degree (about 4 years of college) is the standard entry requirement.
Considering a move? Compare California pay ($59,510) against the highest-paying state above, and weigh the difference against housing and everyday costs — a smaller paycheck in a cheaper state can stretch further.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Chemical Technician make in California?
The median Chemical Technician salary in California is $59,510 per year, or about $28.61 per hour, per official BLS state wage estimates. Salaries typically range from $44,070 at the entry level to $88,900 for the top 10% of earners.
How does California pay compare to the national average?
California pays Chemical Technicians about 1% less than the national median of $60,390. California ranks 23rd out of 51 states and territories reporting this occupation.
Is California a good state for Chemical Technicians?
Pay runs below the national median here, at $59,510 a year. About 6,800 Chemical Technicians are employed in California. A lower cost of living can offset the smaller paycheck, so compare take-home value, not just salary.
What are the highest-paying jobs in California?
The highest-paying occupations in California include Ophthalmologist, Except Pediatric ($400,150), Neurologist ($357,080), Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers ($353,900), based on median annual pay in official BLS state estimates.
← See the national Chemical Technician salary report
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Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), Unknown vintage. Education requirements: O*NET (U.S. Department of Labor). State figures are official BLS state-level wage estimates. Where BLS suppresses a state percentile, it is scaled from the official national distribution. Individual pay varies by employer, metro area, and experience.