Chemist salary
From 3,555 certified H-1B filings (FY2025–FY2026). Base salary only.
- Occupation code 19-2031: Chemists
- Also filed as: Quality Control Chemist, Analytical Chemist
At a glance
- Mostly Level I (entry-level). 29% of Chemist filings are Level I, compared with 19% across all H-1B filings.
- Top filer: Eli Lilly and Company. 72 filings (2% of the total), median $148,320.
- Pay depends on the city. Among the 6 metro areas with the most filings, the median ranges from $74,000 in Chicago, IL to $128,750 in Boston, MA.
- Median up 25% since FY2020. From $76,128 in FY2020 to $95,000 in FY2026 (Q1–Q3). Nominal, not adjusted for inflation.
Chemist H-1B salary overview
Employers filed 3,555 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications for Chemist jobs in FY2025–FY2026 (occupation code 19-2031, Chemists). The median base salary is $90,000, 27% below the median for all H-1B filings ($122,699), and half of the filings fall between $70,462 and $116,136. The most common wage level is Level I (entry-level), at 29% of filings. New York, NY has the most filings (789), and Eli Lilly and Company is the employer that files the most (72).
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Percentiles from certified H-1B filings, base salary only. Metro areas with at least 10 filings.
Top employers for Chemist
Eli Lilly and Company72 filings · 2%$148,320
Sciegen Pharmaceuticals53 filings · 1%$81,000
Amgen50 filings · 1%$134,736
Novitium Pharma41 filings · 1%$62,500
Ascent Pharmaceuticals35 filings · 1%$75,000
Amneal Pharmaceuticals33 filings · 1%$111,268
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company33 filings · 1%$145,333
AbbVie31 filings · 1%$134,000
Frontage Laboratories30 filings · 1%$78,891
Brookhaven National Laboratory29 filings · 1%$85,000
Employers with the most Chemist filings. Bar: share of all Chemist filings. Figure: median base salary.
Pay by level
Entry-level · 29% of filings
Mid-level · 27% of filings
Senior · 22% of filings
Expert · 22% of filings
Show the table
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Level I · Entry | $65,000 | 1,004 |
| Level II · Qualified | $85,450 | 919 |
| Level III · Experienced | $105,000 | 748 |
| Level IV · Fully competent | $129,251 | 765 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
Chemist pay by city
Median base salary in each metro area. Rent: HUD Fair Market Rent, FY2027.
Show all 54 metro areas
Metro areas with at least 10 filings for this occupation.
What a Chemist does
Conduct qualitative and quantitative chemical analyses or experiments in laboratories for quality or process control or to develop new products or knowledge.
Typical tasks
- Develop, improve, or customize products, equipment, formulas, processes, or analytical methods.
- Analyze organic or inorganic compounds to determine chemical or physical properties, composition, structure, relationships, or reactions, using chromatography, spectroscopy, or spectrophotometry techniques.
- Induce changes in composition of substances by introducing heat, light, energy, or chemical catalysts for quantitative or qualitative analysis.
- Conduct quality control tests.
- Write technical papers or reports or prepare standards and specifications for processes, facilities, products, or tests.
- Maintain laboratory instruments to ensure proper working order and troubleshoot malfunctions when needed.
Preparation
Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed. Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
O*NET occupation: Chemists (19-2031.00). 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 (Chemists), the median annual wage was $91,240 in May 2025, with 82,770 people employed. The median H-1B base salary in FY2025–FY2026 is $90,000, 1% lower.
| H-1B filings | All U.S. workers (BLS, May 2025) | |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $63,086 | $58,460 |
| 25th percentile | $70,462 | $69,460 |
| Median | $90,000 | $91,240 |
| 75th percentile | $116,136 | $125,550 |
| 90th percentile | $142,000 | $160,830 |
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 | $63,086 |
| 25th | $70,462 |
| 50th (median) | $90,000 |
| 75th | $116,136 |
| 90th | $142,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $76,128 | $60,000 | $91,500 | 1,885 |
| FY2021 | $78,208 | $62,400 | $97,696 | 1,995 |
| FY2022 | $80,517 | $65,000 | $103,100 | 1,991 |
| FY2023 | $85,000 | $67,269 | $107,600 | 1,722 |
| FY2024 | $85,000 | $67,933 | $110,000 | 1,864 |
| FY2025 | $87,110 | $68,245 | $114,442 | 2,091 |
| FY2026 | $95,000 | $75,001 | $120,000 | 1,464 |
Questions
How much does an H-1B Chemist make?
The median base salary in certified H-1B filings for Chemist jobs is $90,000 (3,555 filings, FY2025–FY2026). Half of the filings are between $70,462 and $116,136.
What does an entry-level Chemist earn on an H-1B?
Level I (entry-level) filings have a median of $65,000. Level I accounts for 29% of Chemist filings.
Which city pays H-1B Chemists the most?
Among metro areas with at least 100 filings, Boston, MA has the highest median base salary for Chemist jobs: $128,750 (223 filings).
Which employers file the most H-1B applications for Chemists?
Eli Lilly and Company (72), Sciegen Pharmaceuticals (53) and Amgen (50) filed the most Chemist LCAs in FY2025–FY2026.
Do H-1B Chemists earn more than other U.S. workers in the same job?
The H-1B median base salary ($90,000) is 1% lower than the median wage of all U.S. workers in this occupation ($91,240, BLS May 2025). The sources measure pay differently, so treat this as a rough comparison.