Chemists pay range in Los Angeles
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $59,570 a year or less, while the top 10% make $135,800 or more. The middle half of chemists in Los Angeles earn between $74,920 and $113,630.
- $60K10th
- $75K25th
- $87KMedian
- $114K75th
- $136K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $99,150 | $8,262 | $47.67 |
| Median | $87,060 | $7,255 | $41.86 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $74,920 | $6,243 | $36.02 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $113,630 | $9,469 | $54.63 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Chemists pay in Los Angeles vs. California and the U.S.
Chemists in Los Angeles earn 7% less than the California average ($106,810) and about the same as the U.S. average ($100,450). At the median the gap is -5% against the U.S. median of $91,240.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | $99,150 | $87,060 | $59,570 | $135,800 | 3,190 |
| California | $106,810 | $97,860 | $60,930 | $164,150 | 9,820 |
| United States | $100,450 | $91,240 | $58,460 | $160,830 | 82,770 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Chemists salary after taxes in Los Angeles
On the average salary of $99,150, a single filer in Los Angeles takes home about $73,453 a year, or $6,121 a month and $2,825 every two weeks. Taxes take 26% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is Los Angeles a good place for chemists? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Los Angeles area are 14% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 113.6), so the average $99,150 buys what about $87,306 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.6 times the median wage of all jobs in Los Angeles ($55,850). A typical home costs $968,608, or 9.8 years of this average salary before tax.
Chemists salary in other California cities
Los Angeles ranks 8th of 19 California metro areas for this job; San Francisco pays the most ($130,870).
- San Francisco$130,870
- San Jose$121,350
- Bakersfield$105,620
- Salinas$104,930
- San Diego$101,250
- Napa$100,740
- Santa Rosa$100,440
- Los Angeles$99,150
- Santa Cruz$97,460
- Santa Maria$95,140
Highest-paying cities for chemists
Washington, DC pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($144,550).
- Washington, DC$144,550
- Bay City, MI$139,910
- Lexington Park, MD$132,480
- San Francisco, CA$130,870
- Boston, MA$130,520
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Chemists salary in Los Angeles: questions
How much do chemists make an hour in Los Angeles?
$47.67 an hour on average, and $41.86 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level chemists salary in Los Angeles?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $59,570 a year and the 25th percentile is $74,920, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the chemists take-home pay in Los Angeles?
About $73,453 a year ($6,121 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $99,150. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do chemists earn more in Los Angeles than elsewhere?
The average here is about the same as the U.S. average for this job ($100,450).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 19-2031; area Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA (31080). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.0%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.95, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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