Senior Chemist salary in Philadelphia, PA
Based on 50 certified H-1B filings at DOL wage level III 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 | $92,000 |
| 25th | $98,356 |
| 50th (median) | $105,803 |
| 75th | $119,250 |
| 90th | $130,605 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $101,124 | $93,934 | $110,000 | 23 |
| FY2021 | $100,000 | $96,663 | $105,900 | 27 |
| FY2022 | $101,645 | $99,086 | $110,000 | 40 |
| FY2023 | $105,000 | $102,690 | $110,000 | 32 |
| FY2024 | $100,000 | $96,000 | $112,700 | 32 |
| FY2025 | $108,942 | $100,610 | $128,200 | 23 |
| FY2026 | $104,000 | $93,991 | $116,000 | 27 |
Cost of living
Philadelphia's median senior Chemist salary of $105,803 is worth about $103,200 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 $105,803, 11% higher.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Employers filing at this level
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Incyte | too few | 5 |
| KVK-Tech | too few | 4 |
| Merck Sharp & Dohme | too few | 4 |
| Adesis | too few | 3 |
| Flamma | too few | 3 |
| Penn Life Sciences | too few | 3 |
| Affinity Research Chemicals | too few | 2 |
| Coim | too few | 2 |
| Fmc | too few | 2 |
| Frontage Laboratories | too few | 2 |
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.