Median Salary
$60,390
per year, national
Hourly Rate
$29.03
based on 2,080 hrs/yr
Top 10% Earn
$92,040
entry level starts ~$41,740
Pay Grade
B
solid pay · 58,000 employed
How much does a Chemical Technician make?
Chemical Technicians in the United States bring home a median salary of $60,390 a year, or around $29.03 an hour. Pay spans a wide range: the bottom 10% earn under $41,740, while the top 10% earn $92,040.
That is $1,000 less than the median across all occupations in BLS data ($61,390).
Chemical Technician salary range by percentile
Half of all Chemical Technicians earn between $48,530 and $75,900 a year.
| Pay level | Annual salary | Hourly rate | |
|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $41,740 | $20.07 |
|
| 25th percentile (early career) | $48,530 | $23.33 |
|
| 50th percentile (median) | $60,390 | $29.03 |
|
| 75th percentile (experienced) | $75,900 | $36.49 |
|
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $92,040 | $44.25 |
|
Highest-paying states for Chemical Technician
Where you work matters more than almost anything else. Louisiana leads the country for Chemical Technician pay at $85,850 a year, followed by Alaska ($79,380) and Delaware ($78,620). At the other end, Arkansas posts the lowest median at $45,230 — a gap of $40,620 for the same job, driven by local demand, industry mix, and cost of living.
Chemical Technician salary in every state
Official BLS state-level figures across 51 states and territories. Click a state for the full local breakdown.
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 $59,750California $59,510Wisconsin $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
Workforce and education
About 58,000 people work as Chemical Technicians in the United States. The mean (average) wage is $63,900 — above the median, which means high earners pull the average up. On qualifications: a bachelor's degree (about 4 years of college) is the standard entry requirement, per O*NET occupation data.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Chemical Technician make in the United States?
The median Chemical Technician salary in the United States is $60,390 per year, or about $29.03 per hour, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates. Entry-level pay (10th percentile) starts around $41,740, while the top 10% of earners make $92,040 or more.
How does Chemical Technician pay compare to other jobs?
With a pay grade of B (solid pay), the Chemical Technician median of $60,390 is below the national median across all occupations tracked in BLS data ($61,390).
Which state pays Chemical Technicians the most?
Louisiana is the highest-paying state for Chemical Technicians, with a median salary of $85,850 per year, based on official state-level BLS wage estimates.
How long does it take to become a Chemical Technician?
Becoming a Chemical Technician typically requires about 4 years of college. A bachelor's degree (about 4 years of college) is the standard entry requirement.
How many Chemical Technicians work in the United States?
About 58,000 people were employed as Chemical Technicians in the United States in the latest BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics estimates.
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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). Percentiles, employment, and state figures are official BLS estimates; hourly figures assume 2,080 hours/year. Individual pay varies by employer, experience, and location.