Entry Level Chemist Salary in the United States

How much does an Entry Level Chemist make in the United States?

As of June 01, 2026, the average salary for an Entry Level Chemist in the United States is $64,131 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $31.

However, an Entry Level Chemist's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $75,536
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $56,284 to $70,101
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $49,140
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View as table View as graph 25% $56,284 10% $49,140 90% $75,536 75% $70,101 $64,131 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Entry Level Chemist Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $70,101 $5,842 $1,348 $34
Average $64,131 $5,344 $1,233 $31
25th Percentile $56,284 $4,690 $1,082 $27
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Key Factors That Influence Entry Level Chemist Salaries

An Entry Level Chemist's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Entry Level Chemist Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of an Entry Level Chemist's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $65,766
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $81,539
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $98,829
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $129,594
  • Expert (over 8 years): $151,364
Levels Salary
Entry Lev... Level Entry Level Chemist$65,766
Chemist I... Level Entry Level Chemist$81,539
Chemist I... Level Entry Level Chemist$98,829
Chemist I... Level Entry Level Chemist$129,594
Chemist V... Level Entry Level Chemist$151,364
$65,766 0 yr
$81,539 < 2 yrs
$98,829 2-4 yrs
$129,594 5-8 yrs
$151,364 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Entry Level Chemists

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $80,888
  • San Francisco: $80,003
  • Oakland: $78,317

What Skills Can Increase an Entry Level Chemist's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Analysis (Mentioned in 12.55% Job Postings): Analysis is the process of considering something carefully or using statistical methods in order to understand it or explain it.
  • Analytical Chemistry (Mentioned in 2.29% Job Postings): Analytical chemistry studies and uses instruments and methods used to separate, identify, and quantify matter. In practice, separation, identification or quantification may constitute the entire analysis or be combined with another method. Separation isolates analytes. Qualitative analysis identifies analytes, while quantitative analysis determines the numerical amount or concentration. Analytical chemistry consists of classical, wet chemical methods and modern, instrumental methods. Classical qualitative methods use separations such as precipitation, extraction, and distillation. Identification may be based on differences in color, odor, melting point, boiling point, radioactivity or reactivity. Classical quantitative analysis uses mass or volume changes to quantify amount. Instrumental methods may be used to separate samples using chromatography, electrophoresis or field flow fractionation. Then qualitative and quantitative analysis can be performed, often with the same instrument and may use light interaction, heat interaction, electric fields or magnetic fields. Often the same instrument can separate, identify and quantify an analyte.
  • Quality Assurance (Mentioned in 1.56% Job Postings): Verifying the adherence of product with required specifications and expectations to track and resolve deficiencies prior to product release.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Analysis 12.55%
Analytical Chemistry 2.29%
Quality Assurance 1.56%
What skills can make your compensation higher?
Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on an Entry Level Chemist's salary.
  • Biochemistry: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
  • Collaboration: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
  • Decision Making: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Biochemistry
$68,620
7%
Collaboration
$67,979
6%
Decision Making
$67,979
6%
Project Management
$67,979
6%
Authenticity
$67,979
6%
Presentation
$67,979
6%
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How Education impacts an Entry Level Chemist's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Entry Level Chemists enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for an Entry Level Chemist with a Bachelor's Degree is between $64,376 and $68,659).

Entry Level Chemist Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Entry Level Chemist
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 0.5%
High School 0.7%
Associates 1.7%
Bachelors 73.1%
Masters 16.4%
Doctorate 7.6%
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Entry Level Chemist Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how an Entry Level Chemist's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on June 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Entry Level Chemist

Salaries for an Entry Level Chemist can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $55,138 in 2023 to around $54,902 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Entry Level Chemist salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Entry Level Chemist Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$55,138
2024
$55,109
2025
$54,902
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $55,138
2024 $55,109
2025 $54,902
2026
View More
2027
View More

Most common benefits for Entry Level Chemist

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Entry Level Chemist

Here are companies hiring for Entry Level Chemist and their salaries, click below for more details.

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

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