Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, aged to 2026 using compounded market movement. State selections show BLS state-level figures where published. Actual pay varies with experience, industry, and organization size.
Conduct chemical or physical laboratory tests to assist scientists in making qualitative or quantitative analyses of solids, liquids, or gaseous materials.
Maintain, clean, or sterilize laboratory instruments or equipment.
Monitor product quality to ensure compliance with standards and specifications.
Set up and conduct chemical experiments, tests, and analyses, using techniques such as chromatography, spectroscopy, physical or chemical separation techniques, or microscopy.
Prepare chemical solutions for products or processes, following standardized formulas, or create experimental formulas.
Top skills:ScienceReading ComprehensionCritical ThinkingWritingMonitoringActive Listening
Includes information from O*NET OnLine by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (CC BY 4.0).
Chemical Technician pay by experience level
Entry level$43,000
Typical starting pay (about the 10th percentile)
Early career$50,000
A few years in (about the 25th percentile)
Experienced$62,500
Mid-career median pay
Senior$78,500
Seasoned professionals (about the 75th percentile)
Top earners$95,500
Highest earners (about the 90th percentile)
Experience tiers are derived from the BLS wage percentile distribution for this occupation, aged to 2026. Actual pay varies by employer, location, and specialization.
Job outlook
+3.7%
projected change in jobs, 2024–2034
6,700
projected openings per year
Growing about as fast as average
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program (2024–2034). Openings include growth and replacement needs.
Chemical Technician salary by industry
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
17,990 workers
$61,000
Chemical Manufacturing
17,600 workers
$70,000
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services
11,710 workers
$57,500
Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only)
9,740 workers
$74,500
Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing
5,380 workers
$64,000
Scientific Research and Development Services
4,670 workers
$70,000
Chemical Manufacturing (3255 and 3256 only)
2,480 workers
$65,000
Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods
2,450 workers
$66,500
Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4242 and 4246 only)
2,190 workers
$67,000
Educational Services
1,930 workers
$61,500
National sector-level figures, BLS OEWS May 2025, aged to 2026.
How this role compares
Chemical Technician pays 34% below the average across 66 roles in the Life, Physical, and Social Science job family (family average $100,500).
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