Chemists pay range in Boulder
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $61,260 a year or less, while the top 10% make $165,280 or more. The middle half of chemists in Boulder earn between $84,240 and $136,940.
- $61K10th
- $84K25th
- $106KMedian
- $137K75th
- $165K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $109,180 | $9,098 | $52.49 |
| Median | $105,590 | $8,799 | $50.76 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $84,240 | $7,020 | $40.50 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $136,940 | $11,412 | $65.84 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Chemists pay in Boulder vs. Colorado and the U.S.
Chemists in Boulder earn about the same as the Colorado average ($106,480) and 9% more than the U.S. average ($100,450). At the median the gap is +16% against the U.S. median of $91,240.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Boulder | $109,180 | $105,590 | $61,260 | $165,280 | 500 |
| Colorado | $106,480 | $101,980 | $61,260 | $162,680 | 1,790 |
| 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 Boulder
On the average salary of $109,180, a single filer in Boulder takes home about $81,543 a year, or $6,795 a month and $3,136 every two weeks. Taxes take 25% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Colorado's FAMLI premium and the flat monthly occupational privilege taxes of Denver, Aurora and a few other cities are not included.
Is Boulder a good place for chemists? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Boulder area are 5% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 105.2), so the average $109,180 buys what about $103,781 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 1.5 times the median wage of all jobs in Boulder ($69,580). A typical home costs $727,954, or 6.7 years of this average salary before tax.
Chemists salary in other Colorado cities
Boulder ranks 2nd of 5 Colorado metro areas for this job; Denver pays the most ($110,740).
- Denver$110,740
- Boulder$109,180
- Greeley$100,860
- Fort Collins$98,220
- Colorado Springs$94,940
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 Boulder: questions
How much do chemists make an hour in Boulder?
$52.49 an hour on average, and $50.77 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level chemists salary in Boulder?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $61,260 a year and the 25th percentile is $84,240, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the chemists take-home pay in Boulder?
About $81,543 a year ($6,795 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $109,180. Colorado's FAMLI premium and the flat monthly occupational privilege taxes of Denver, Aurora and a few other cities are not included.
Do chemists earn more in Boulder than elsewhere?
The average here is 9% more than 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 Boulder, CO (14500). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.4%.
- 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 (2026 rules). Colorado's FAMLI premium and the flat monthly occupational privilege taxes of Denver, Aurora and a few other cities are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 4.84, this job is 4.8 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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