Chemist salary in Madison, WI

Based on 51 certified H-1B filings in the Madison, WI metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Middleton, Verona, Verono, Waunakee.

Also listed as: Quality Control Chemist, Analytical Chemist

Median salary$65,291
Middle 50%$58.7k–$83.6k
vs. national median−27%comparison median $90,000
Filings51FY2025–FY2026 · latest two fiscal years

Salary range

Box: middle 50% of filings. Whiskers: 10th–90th percentile. 99% of filings are between $52,475 and $127,500.
PercentileSalary
10th$54,080
25th$58,656
50th (median)$65,291
75th$83,555
90th$90,000

Salary by year

Median salary

$50k $70k $90k FY2020: median $62,962 (31 filings) FY2021: median $64,000 (22 filings) FY2022: median $67,500 (32 filings) FY2023: median $74,160 (29 filings) FY2024: median $77,626 (19 filings) FY2025: median $65,291 (33 filings) FY2026: median $68,990 (18 filings) FY20 FY21 FY22 FY23 FY24 FY25 FY26

Filings per year

FY2020: 31 filings FY20 FY2021: 22 filings FY21 FY2022: 32 filings FY22 FY2023: 29 filings FY23 FY2024: 19 filings FY24 FY2025: 33 filings FY25 FY2026: 18 filings FY26 33
Shaded: FY2025–FY2026, the years behind the figures above. Median shown for years with at least 10 filings. FY2026 covers Q1–Q3 only.
Show as table
Fiscal yearMedianP25P75Filings
FY2020$62,962$59,592$70,00031
FY2021$64,000$61,200$78,75022
FY2022$67,500$64,000$80,00032
FY2023$74,160$66,500$80,00029
FY2024$77,626$59,756$85,36719
FY2025$65,291$54,080$77,02233
FY2026$68,990$63,652$85,33318

Cost of living

Madison's median Chemist salary of $65,291 is worth about $67,100 at national average prices.

Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Madison = 97.3).

Compared with all workers here

All Chemists in the Madison, WI area earned a median of $78,730 in May 2025 (780 employed). The H-1B median here is $65,291, 17% lower.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.

Top employers filing

EmployerMedianFilings
PPD Development, L.P.$76,17021
University of Wisconsin System$63,12011
Catalent Pharma Solutionstoo few9
Labcorp Early Development Laboratoriestoo few2
Safctoo few2

Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.

By experience level

Wage levelMedianFilings
Entry-level · Level I $54,080 17
Mid-level · Level II $65,291 11
Senior · Level III too few 5
Expert · Level IV $88,733 13

Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.

Minimum H-1B salary by level

Wage levelPrevailing wage (most common)Median offered salaryFilings
Entry-level · Level I$53,581$54,08017
Mid-level · Level II$65,250$65,29111
Expert · Level IV$87,110$88,73313

The prevailing wage is the minimum an employer must pay for this job and area. Amounts vary by county within a metro and by wage source.