Chemical Technician salary
From 21 certified H-1B filings (FY2025–FY2026). Base salary only.
- Occupation code 19-4031: Chemical Technicians
At a glance
- Median up 27% since FY2020. From $48,000 in FY2020 to $60,840 in FY2026 (Q1–Q3). Nominal, not adjusted for inflation.
Chemical Technician H-1B salary overview
Employers filed 21 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications for Chemical Technician jobs in FY2025–FY2026 (occupation code 19-4031, Chemical Technicians). The median base salary is $60,195, 51% below the median for all H-1B filings ($122,699), and half of the filings fall between $45,760 and $68,141.
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Percentiles from certified H-1B filings, base salary only. Metro areas with at least 10 filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Level I · Entry | – | 0 |
| Level II · Qualified | – | 0 |
| Level III · Experienced | – | 0 |
| Level IV · Fully competent | – | 0 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
What a Chemical Technician does
Conduct 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.
Typical tasks
- 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.
- Compile and interpret results of tests and analyses.
Preparation
Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed. Most occupations in this zone require training in vocational schools, related on-the-job experience, or an associate's degree.
O*NET occupation: Chemical Technicians (19-4031.00). This section includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
H-1B pay vs. all U.S. workers
Across all U.S. workers in this occupation (Chemical Technicians), the median annual wage was $60,390 in May 2025, with 57,540 people employed. The median H-1B base salary in FY2025–FY2026 is $60,195, 0% lower.
| H-1B filings | All U.S. workers (BLS, May 2025) | |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $43,000 | $41,740 |
| 25th percentile | $45,760 | $48,530 |
| Median | $60,195 | $60,390 |
| 75th percentile | $68,141 | $75,900 |
| 90th percentile | $75,000 | $92,040 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS). BLS wages cover all wage and salary workers and include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are the base salary offered on certified LCAs. The two sources cover different periods. BLS reports wages of $239,200 or more as a single top value.
Salary details
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $43,000 |
| 25th | $45,760 |
| 50th (median) | $60,195 |
| 75th | $68,141 |
| 90th | $75,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $48,000 | $45,089 | $53,053 | 11 |
| FY2021 | $50,002 | $47,904 | $57,537 | 10 |
| FY2022 | – | – | – | 6 |
| FY2023 | – | – | – | 7 |
| FY2024 | – | – | – | 5 |
| FY2025 | – | – | – | 6 |
| FY2026 | $60,840 | $50,380 | $66,165 | 15 |
Questions
How much does an H-1B Chemical Technician make?
The median base salary in certified H-1B filings for Chemical Technician jobs is $60,195 (21 filings, FY2025–FY2026). Half of the filings are between $45,760 and $68,141.
Do H-1B Chemical Technicians earn more than other U.S. workers in the same job?
The H-1B median base salary ($60,195) is 0% lower than the median wage of all U.S. workers in this occupation ($60,390, BLS May 2025). The sources measure pay differently, so treat this as a rough comparison.