Chemist salary in Philadelphia, PA
Based on 214 certified H-1B filings in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Exton, Wilmington, Malvern, Newtown, Collegeville.
Also listed as: Quality Control Chemist, Analytical Chemist
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $65,333 |
| 25th | $74,146 |
| 50th (median) | $92,491 |
| 75th | $115,000 |
| 90th | $130,000 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $70,257 | $60,000 | $87,598 | 164 |
| FY2021 | $80,000 | $67,600 | $97,925 | 159 |
| FY2022 | $81,000 | $79,914 | $100,150 | 144 |
| FY2023 | $85,000 | $76,773 | $103,000 | 127 |
| FY2024 | $94,925 | $73,193 | $112,919 | 134 |
| FY2025 | $94,980 | $69,835 | $116,059 | 108 |
| FY2026 | $92,000 | $75,000 | $114,300 | 106 |
Cost of living
Philadelphia's median Chemist salary of $92,491 is worth about $90,200 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Philadelphia = 102.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Chemists in the Philadelphia, PA area earned a median of $95,440 in May 2025 (4,520 employed). The H-1B median here is $92,491, 3% 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
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Frontage Laboratories | $77,713 | 28 |
| Adesis | $127,345 | 14 |
| Incyte | $130,000 | 13 |
| Trustees Of The University Of Pennsylvania | $69,855 | 10 |
| KVK-Tech | too few | 9 |
| Carnegie Pharmaceuticals | too few | 8 |
| Merck Sharp & Dohme | too few | 7 |
| Eurofins Lancaster Laboratories Professional Scientific Services | too few | 5 |
| Penn Life Sciences | too few | 5 |
| PPD Development, L.P. | too few | 5 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $66,300 | 63 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $84,714 | 49 |
| Senior · Level III | $105,803 | 50 |
| Expert · Level IV | $124,853 | 49 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
Minimum H-1B salary by level
| Wage level | Prevailing wage (most common) | Median offered salary | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $65,333 | $66,300 | 63 |
| Mid-level · Level II | $74,526 | $84,714 | 49 |
| Senior · Level III | $91,998 | $105,803 | 50 |
| Expert · Level IV | $109,470 | $124,853 | 49 |
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.