Lab Chemist Salary in Alhambra, CA

How much does a Lab Chemist make in Alhambra, CA?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Lab Chemist in Alhambra, CA is $72,798 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $35.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $85,438
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $65,008 to $79,414
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $57,915
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View as table View as graph 25% $65,008 10% $57,915 90% $85,438 75% $79,414 $72,798 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Lab Chemist Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $79,414 $6,618 $1,527 $38
Average $72,798 $6,067 $1,400 $35
25th Percentile $65,008 $5,417 $1,250 $31
Check out Lab Chemist Job Openings in Alhambra, CA
Bilingual Automotive Internet Sales Specialist

Wondries Toyota - Alhambra, CA

Automotive Salesperson

Wondries Toyota - Alhambra, CA

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Key Factors That Influence Lab Chemist Salaries

A Lab 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, skills and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Lab Chemist Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Lab 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): $72,312
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $89,688
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $108,685
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $142,539
  • Expert (over 8 years): $166,433
Levels Salary
Lab Chemi... Level Lab Chemist$72,312
Chemist I... Level Lab Chemist$89,688
Chemist I... Level Lab Chemist$108,685
Chemist I... Level Lab Chemist$142,539
Chemist V... Level Lab Chemist$166,433
$72,312 0 yr
$89,688 < 2 yrs
$108,685 2-4 yrs
$142,539 5-8 yrs
$166,433 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Lab 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: $83,212
  • San Francisco: $82,301
  • Oakland: $80,567

What Skills Can Increase a Lab 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 a Lab 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
$77,894
7%
Collaboration
$77,166
6%
Decision Making
$77,166
6%
Project Management
$77,166
6%
Authenticity
$77,166
6%
Presentation
$77,166
6%
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Lab Chemist Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Lab Chemist roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 80% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Financial Services and Software & Networking sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 50% above the average. In contrast, Lab Chemist positions in Hospitality & Leisure or Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Lab Chemist as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Lab Chemist

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Financial Services$109,198$52.050%
Software & Networking$101,918$49.040%
Biotechnology$94,638$45.030%
Aerospace & Defense$87,358$42.020%
Pharmaceuticals$87,358$42.020%

Lab Chemist Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Lab 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 September 01, 2026

Find Your Next Lab Chemist Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Lab Chemist job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

United States
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