U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsConduct chemical and physical laboratory tests to assist scientists in making qualitative and quantitative analyses of solids, liquids, and gaseous materials for research and development of new products or processes, quality control, maintenance of environmental standards, and other work involving experimental, theoretical, or practical application of chemistry and related sciences.
Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:
| Employment (1) | Employment RSE (3) |
Mean hourly wage |
Mean annual wage (2) |
Wage RSE (3) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 59,440 | 1.9 % | $21.25 | $44,200 | 0.6 % |
Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:
| Percentile | 10% | 25% | 50% (Median) |
75% | 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hourly Wage | $12.51 | $15.62 | $20.21 | $26.01 | $32.07 |
| Annual Wage (2) | $26,030 | $32,490 | $42,040 | $54,100 | $66,710 |
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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services | 12,390 | 0.97 | $17.47 | $36,340 |
| Scientific Research and Development Services | 6,360 | 1.04 | $23.29 | $48,440 |
| Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing | 6,210 | 2.20 | $22.41 | $46,620 |
| Basic Chemical Manufacturing | 4,970 | 3.48 | $23.99 | $49,900 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | 2,840 | 0.10 | $19.66 | $40,890 |
Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:
| Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paint, Coating, and Adhesive Manufacturing | 2,410 | 4.27 | $22.95 | $47,740 |
| Basic Chemical Manufacturing | 4,970 | 3.48 | $23.99 | $49,900 |
| Resin, Synthetic Rubber, and Artificial Synthetic Fibers and Filaments Manufacturing | 2,800 | 3.09 | $23.42 | $48,710 |
| Other Chemical Product and Preparation Manufacturing | 1,930 | 2.31 | $22.08 | $45,920 |
| Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing | 6,210 | 2.20 | $22.41 | $46,620 |
Top paying industries for this occupation:
| Industry | Employment (1) | Percent of industry employment | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) | 60 | (7) | $29.32 | $60,990 |
| Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution | 840 | 0.21 | $29.08 | $60,490 |
| State Government (OES Designation) | 620 | 0.03 | $25.98 | $54,040 |
| Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | 1,500 | 1.34 | $25.51 | $53,070 |
| Other Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing | 170 | 0.07 | $24.97 | $51,940 |
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 | 6,730 | 0.48 | 1.03 | $21.92 | $45,590 |
| Texas | 5,280 | 0.52 | 1.12 | $23.52 | $48,930 |
| New York | 3,520 | 0.42 | 0.90 | $22.58 | $46,960 |
| New Jersey | 3,380 | 0.90 | 1.92 | $21.56 | $44,840 |
| Ohio | 3,190 | 0.65 | 1.38 | $20.22 | $42,050 |
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 | 620 | 1.56 | 3.34 | $25.53 | $53,110 |
| Wyoming | 260 | 0.96 | 2.06 | $17.82 | $37,070 |
| New Jersey | 3,380 | 0.90 | 1.92 | $21.56 | $44,840 |
| Nevada | 960 | 0.86 | 1.84 | $19.56 | $40,690 |
| West Virginia | 590 | 0.86 | 1.84 | $17.97 | $37,390 |
Top paying States for this occupation:
| State | Employment (1) | Employment per thousand jobs | Location quotient (9) | Hourly mean wage | Annual mean wage (2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Mexico | 250 | 0.32 | 0.68 | $28.68 | $59,650 |
| Delaware | 620 | 1.56 | 3.34 | $25.53 | $53,110 |
| Massachusetts | 2,450 | 0.79 | 1.68 | $24.15 | $50,230 |
| Louisiana | 1,400 | 0.76 | 1.63 | $23.94 | $49,790 |
| Alaska | 100 | 0.33 | 0.71 | $23.80 | $49,490 |
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) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX | 2,070 | 0.83 | 1.77 | $26.08 | $54,240 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division | 1,780 | 0.47 | 0.99 | $21.77 | $45,280 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, IL Metropolitan Division | 1,650 | 0.47 | 1.00 | $22.25 | $46,290 |
| New York-White Plains-Wayne, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division | 1,460 | 0.29 | 0.62 | $23.29 | $48,440 |
| Edison-New Brunswick, NJ Metropolitan Division | 1,240 | 1.29 | 2.76 | $20.72 | $43,100 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA NECTA Division | 1,180 | 0.71 | 1.52 | $25.03 | $52,070 |
| Newark-Union, NJ-PA Metropolitan Division | 1,110 | 1.17 | 2.49 | $21.12 | $43,930 |
| Philadelphia, PA Metropolitan Division | 1,080 | 0.60 | 1.28 | $23.17 | $48,200 |
| Cleveland-Elyria-Mentor, OH | 970 | 1.00 | 2.13 | $20.97 | $43,610 |
| San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, CA | 950 | 0.77 | 1.65 | $24.67 | $51,320 |
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 | 760 | 2.40 | 5.12 | $26.22 | $54,530 |
| Lowell-Billerica-Chelmsford, MA-NH NECTA Division | 250 | 2.16 | 4.63 | $24.35 | $50,650 |
| Lake Charles, LA | 180 | 2.11 | 4.50 | $28.32 | $58,910 |
| Kennewick-Pasco-Richland, WA | 200 | 2.10 | 4.49 | $24.82 | $51,630 |
| Reno-Sparks, NV | 400 | 2.10 | 4.48 | $14.89 | $30,980 |
| Longview, WA | 70 | 1.98 | 4.24 | $16.76 | $34,870 |
| Decatur, AL | 100 | 1.96 | 4.19 | $23.64 | $49,180 |
| Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol, TN-VA | 220 | 1.94 | 4.15 | $21.43 | $44,580 |
| Framingham, MA NECTA Division | 300 | 1.94 | 4.14 | $23.81 | $49,520 |
| Morgantown, WV | 100 | 1.78 | 3.81 | $21.60 | $44,930 |