U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsConduct qualitative and quantitative chemical analyses or experiments in laboratories for quality or process control or to develop new products or knowledge. Excludes "Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and Geographers" (19-2042) and "Biochemists and Biophysicists" (19-1021).
Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:
| Employment (1) | Employment RSE (3) |
Mean hourly wage |
Mean annual wage (2) |
Wage RSE (3) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 84,950 | 2.1 % | $36.96 | $76,870 | 0.9 % |
Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:
| Percentile | 10% | 25% | 50% (Median) |
75% | 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly Wage | $19.75 | $25.30 | $34.50 | $46.23 | $57.98 |
| Annual Wage (2) | $41,080 | $52,630 | $71,770 | $96,150 | $120,600 |
Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.
Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:
| Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scientific Research and Development Services | 17,640 | 2.80 | $40.53 | $84,300 |
| Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing | 14,620 | 5.46 | $36.53 | $75,980 |
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services | 9,960 | 0.77 | $29.76 | $61,890 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) | 5,640 | 0.28 | $50.44 | $104,910 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | 3,590 | 0.12 | $30.84 | $64,140 |
Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:
| Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing | 14,620 | 5.46 | $36.53 | $75,980 |
| Paint, Coating, and Adhesive Manufacturing | 1,920 | 3.30 | $36.01 | $74,900 |
| Scientific Research and Development Services | 17,640 | 2.80 | $40.53 | $84,300 |
| Resin, Synthetic Rubber, and Artificial Synthetic Fibers and Filaments Manufacturing | 2,100 | 2.30 | $44.20 | $91,940 |
| Soap, Cleaning Compound, and Toilet Preparation Manufacturing | 2,170 | 2.11 | $34.49 | $71,750 |
Top paying industries for this occupation:
| Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oil and Gas Extraction | 40 | 0.02 | $54.57 | $113,500 |
| Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) | 5,640 | 0.28 | $50.44 | $104,910 |
| Clay Product and Refractory Manufacturing | 90 | 0.22 | $45.19 | $94,000 |
| Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | 140 | 0.03 | $44.93 | $93,450 |
| Resin, Synthetic Rubber, and Artificial Synthetic Fibers and Filaments Manufacturing | 2,100 | 2.30 | $44.20 | $91,940 |
States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.
States with the highest employment level in this occupation:
| State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | 11,640 | 0.81 | 1.25 | $38.41 | $79,900 |
| New Jersey | 5,770 | 1.52 | 2.33 | $39.47 | $82,090 |
| Pennsylvania | 5,110 | 0.91 | 1.40 | $35.42 | $73,680 |
| Texas | 4,050 | 0.38 | 0.59 | $33.08 | $68,810 |
| New York | 3,900 | 0.46 | 0.70 | $37.91 | $78,850 |
States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:
| State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Delaware | 3,200 | 7.89 | 12.10 | $43.67 | $90,830 |
| New Jersey | 5,770 | 1.52 | 2.33 | $39.47 | $82,090 |
| Maryland | 3,290 | 1.31 | 2.01 | $51.06 | $106,210 |
| Connecticut | 2,000 | 1.23 | 1.89 | $38.86 | $80,820 |
| Massachusetts | 3,790 | 1.18 | 1.82 | $40.01 | $83,220 |
Top paying States for this occupation:
| State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maryland | 3,290 | 1.31 | 2.01 | $51.06 | $106,210 |
| District of Columbia | 330 | 0.51 | 0.78 | $50.28 | $104,570 |
| Minnesota | 1,940 | 0.73 | 1.13 | $43.84 | $91,190 |
| Delaware | 3,200 | 7.89 | 12.10 | $43.67 | $90,830 |
| New Mexico | 410 | 0.52 | 0.80 | $43.08 | $89,610 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:
| Metropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilmington, DE-MD-NJ Metropolitan Division | 3,210 | 9.95 | 15.26 | $43.84 | $91,200 |
| Philadelphia, PA Metropolitan Division | 3,050 | 1.67 | 2.56 | $38.81 | $80,730 |
| New York-White Plains-Wayne, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division | 3,020 | 0.59 | 0.90 | $41.76 | $86,850 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA NECTA Division | 2,540 | 1.49 | 2.28 | $39.51 | $82,190 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division | 2,160 | 0.56 | 0.86 | $33.14 | $68,940 |
| Edison-New Brunswick, NJ Metropolitan Division | 2,030 | 2.09 | 3.20 | $35.91 | $74,700 |
| San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, CA | 1,890 | 1.50 | 2.30 | $42.97 | $89,380 |
| Bethesda-Rockville-Frederick, MD Metropolitan Division | 1,730 | 3.08 | 4.72 | $57.83 | $120,290 |
| Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL Metropolitan Division | 1,690 | 0.46 | 0.71 | $34.95 | $72,690 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 1,660 | 0.95 | 1.46 | $45.38 | $94,390 |
Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:
| Metropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wilmington, DE-MD-NJ Metropolitan Division | 3,210 | 9.95 | 15.26 | $43.84 | $91,200 |
| Kennewick-Pasco-Richland, WA | 720 | 7.36 | 11.29 | $43.18 | $89,820 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | 1,150 | 4.22 | 6.47 | $41.16 | $85,610 |
| College Station-Bryan, TX | 370 | 3.99 | 6.12 | $21.98 | $45,720 |
| Pine Bluff, AR | 130 | 3.70 | 5.67 | $42.82 | $89,080 |
| Lake County-Kenosha County, IL-WI Metropolitan Division | 1,260 | 3.41 | 5.23 | $40.77 | $84,790 |
| Bethesda-Rockville-Frederick, MD Metropolitan Division | 1,730 | 3.08 | 4.72 | $57.83 | $120,290 |
| Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | 370 | 2.88 | 4.41 | $30.79 | $64,030 |
| Vallejo-Fairfield, CA | 300 | 2.47 | 3.79 | $37.63 | $78,260 |
| Greenville, NC | 180 | 2.44 | 3.73 | $25.87 | $53,800 |
Top paying metropolitan areas for this occupation:
| Metropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bethesda-Rockville-Frederick, MD Metropolitan Division | 1,730 | 3.08 | 4.72 | $57.83 | $120,290 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Division | 1,100 | 0.47 | 0.72 | $52.31 | $108,810 |
| San Francisco-San Mateo-Redwood City, CA Metropolitan Division | 1,350 | 1.35 | 2.07 | $48.19 | $100,230 |
| Framingham, MA NECTA Division | 320 | 2.01 | 3.08 | $47.49 | $98,770 |
| Norwich-New London, CT-RI | (8) | (8) | (8) | $45.66 | $94,970 |
| Albuquerque, NM | 320 | 0.89 | 1.36 | $45.59 | $94,820 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 1,660 | 0.95 | 1.46 | $45.38 | $94,390 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | 160 | 1.00 | 1.53 | $44.59 | $92,740 |
| Newark-Union, NJ-PA Metropolitan Division | 1,610 | 1.69 | 2.60 | $44.53 | $92,610 |
| Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol, TN-VA | 140 | 1.18 | 1.81 | $44.41 | $92,360 |
Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in this occupation:
| Nonmetropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kansas nonmetropolitan area | 170 | 0.45 | 0.69 | $27.43 | $57,060 |
| West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | 160 | 1.11 | 1.70 | $30.70 | $63,860 |
| Other North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | 160 | 0.56 | 0.86 | $30.89 | $64,240 |
| Far Western Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | 140 | 0.81 | 1.25 | $21.27 | $44,230 |
| Southern Indiana nonmetropolitan area | 120 | 0.76 | 1.16 | $28.74 | $59,780 |
Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:
| Nonmetropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southeastern Wyoming nonmetropolitan area | 50 | 1.42 | 2.17 | $27.11 | $56,390 |
| West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area | 160 | 1.11 | 1.70 | $30.70 | $63,860 |
| Northeastern Wyoming nonmetropolitan area | 50 | 1.01 | 1.54 | $24.79 | $51,560 |
| Upper Savannah South Carolina nonmetropolitan area | 90 | 0.86 | 1.31 | $33.64 | $69,960 |
| Far Western Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | 140 | 0.81 | 1.25 | $21.27 | $44,230 |
Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for this occupation:
| Nonmetropolitan area | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Texas nonmetropolitan area | 60 | 0.22 | 0.35 | $50.51 | $105,050 |
| Northeastern Virginia nonmetropolitan area | 30 | 0.68 | 1.04 | $44.88 | $93,360 |
| Southwest New York nonmetropolitan area | 60 | 0.29 | 0.45 | $43.27 | $89,990 |
| Southwest Alabama nonmetropolitan area | 70 | 0.52 | 0.80 | $41.41 | $86,130 |
| Northeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area | 70 | 0.68 | 1.04 | $40.08 | $83,360 |
These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.
The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate--50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.
(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.
(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly mean wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.
(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.
(8) Estimate not released.
(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.
Other OES estimates and related information:
May 2012 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2012 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2012 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
May 2012 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates
Last Modified Date: March 29, 2013
