Chemist salary in Washington, DC
Based on 20 certified H-1B filings in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes College Park, Chantilly, Rockville, Bethesda, Gaithersburg.
Also listed as: Quality Control Chemist, Analytical Chemist
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $64,905 |
| 25th | $83,133 |
| 50th (median) | $105,598 |
| 75th | $120,233 |
| 90th | $140,500 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $73,185 | $61,536 | $96,750 | 15 |
| FY2021 | $103,737 | $71,126 | $124,663 | 24 |
| FY2022 | $97,500 | $85,339 | $118,610 | 16 |
| FY2023 | $113,899 | $91,494 | $132,750 | 26 |
| FY2024 | – | – | – | 9 |
| FY2025 | $116,272 | $94,903 | $120,931 | 17 |
| FY2026 | – | – | – | 3 |
Cost of living
Washington's median Chemist salary of $105,598 is worth about $97,000 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Washington = 108.9).
Compared with all workers here
All Chemists in the Washington, DC area earned a median of $144,680 in May 2025 (2,490 employed). The H-1B median here is $105,598, 27% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| University of Maryland College Park | too few | 5 |
| Granules Pharmaceuticals | too few | 4 |
| The U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention | too few | 3 |
| Axle Informatics | 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 | too few | 5 |
| Mid-level · Level II | too few | 3 |
| Senior · Level III | too few | 2 |
| Expert · Level IV | – | 0 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.