Chemists Salary in California
State wage data from the BLS OEWS survey, May 2025.
Median annual
$97,860
Median hourly
$47
Average annual
$106,810
Employed in state
9.8K
The median annual salary for Chemists in California is $97,860, or about $47 an hour. That is 7% higher than the national median.
Pay in California ranges from $60,930 at the 10th percentile to $164,150 at the 90th percentile. Roughly 9.8K people work as chemists in the state.
Pay distribution in California
10th$60,930
25th$76,340
Median$97,860
75th$127,790
90th$164,150
Salary calculator
- Hourly
- $47.05
- Daily
- $376
- Weekly
- $1,882
- Bi-weekly
- $3,764
- Monthly
- $8,155
- Annual
- $97,860
$97,860 a year is around the 50th percentile for Chemistss in California. The median is $97,860.
Chemists pay by metro area in California
| Metro area | Median annual | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $127,790 | 2.2K |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $114,890 | 580 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $97,570 | 190 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $95,840 | 70 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $95,160 | 1.4K |
| Salinas, CA | $95,080 | 30 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $92,660 | 480 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $92,240 | 80 |
| Napa, CA | $89,180 | 50 |
| Visalia, CA | $87,570 | 30 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $87,060 | 3.2K |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $86,060 | 40 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $85,930 | 110 |
| Modesto, CA | $83,120 | 90 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $82,960 | 220 |
Other jobs in California
- Home Health and Personal Care Aides$35,800
- Fast Food and Counter Workers$31,200
- Retail Salespersons$35,410
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand$40,240
- Registered Nurses$97,550
- Cashiers$32,880
- Office Clerks, General$45,010
- Stockers and Order Fillers$37,330
- General and Operations Managers$105,770
- Software Developers$135,980
- Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners$36,840
- Waiters and Waitresses$35,230
- Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers$58,640
- Security Guards$38,020
- Teaching Assistants, Except Postsecondary$36,780
- Customer Service Representatives$44,770
- Accountants and Auditors$83,680
- Farmworkers and Laborers, Crop, Nursery, and Greenhouse$35,660
- Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive$47,540
- Sales Representatives of Services, Except Advertising, Insurance, Financial Services, and Travel$69,990