Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2012

19-4031 Chemical Technicians

Conduct chemical and physical laboratory tests to assist scientists in making qualitative and quantitative analyses of solids, liquids, and gaseous materials for research and development of new products or processes, quality control, maintenance of environmental standards, and other work involving experimental, theoretical, or practical application of chemistry and related sciences.

National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation: Top

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3) 		Mean hourly
wage		 Mean annual
wage (2) 		Wage RSE (3)
61,300 2.0 % $22.18 $46,130 1.0 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median) 		75% 90%
Hourly Wage $12.60 $15.84 $20.64 $27.27 $34.00
Annual Wage (2) $26,220 $32,940 $42,920 $56,720 $70,710

Industry profile for this occupation: Top

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 14,830 1.14 $18.40 $38,260
Scientific Research and Development Services 7,910 1.25 $26.10 $54,280
Basic Chemical Manufacturing 4,980 3.47 $25.36 $52,760
Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing 4,590 1.71 $22.23 $46,250
Resin, Synthetic Rubber, and Artificial Synthetic Fibers and Filaments Manufacturing 2,440 2.67 $24.22 $50,380

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Basic Chemical Manufacturing 4,980 3.47 $25.36 $52,760
Paint, Coating, and Adhesive Manufacturing 1,960 3.37 $22.76 $47,350
Resin, Synthetic Rubber, and Artificial Synthetic Fibers and Filaments Manufacturing 2,440 2.67 $24.22 $50,380
Other Chemical Product and Preparation Manufacturing 1,830 2.17 $23.17 $48,190
Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing 4,590 1.71 $22.23 $46,250

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) 60 (7) $31.65 $65,830
Oil and Gas Extraction 70 0.04 $31.23 $64,960
Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution 580 0.15 $30.03 $62,460
Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing 1,580 1.42 $27.35 $56,890
Scientific Research and Development Services 7,910 1.25 $26.10 $54,280

Geographic profile for this occupation: Top

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.





States with the highest employment level in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
California 5,360 0.37 0.80 $22.50 $46,810
Texas 4,740 0.45 0.95 $25.06 $52,120
New Jersey 4,570 1.20 2.56 $27.78 $57,780
New York 4,090 0.48 1.02 $22.97 $47,770
Pennsylvania 3,580 0.64 1.36 $21.19 $44,080




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Delaware 820 2.01 4.27 $28.25 $58,760
New Jersey 4,570 1.20 2.56 $27.78 $57,780
Wyoming 260 0.93 1.97 $19.57 $40,710
Utah 1,060 0.88 1.88 $19.61 $40,790
Louisiana 1,490 0.80 1.70 $26.13 $54,350




Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Delaware 820 2.01 4.27 $28.25 $58,760
New Jersey 4,570 1.20 2.56 $27.78 $57,780
Alaska 70 0.23 0.48 $27.10 $56,370
New Mexico 230 0.30 0.64 $27.07 $56,300
Louisiana 1,490 0.80 1.70 $26.13 $54,350





Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
New York-White Plains-Wayne, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division 2,720 0.53 1.12 $22.12 $46,000
Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX 2,220 0.84 1.79 $26.26 $54,620
Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL Metropolitan Division 1,900 0.52 1.11 $19.82 $41,230
Philadelphia, PA Metropolitan Division 1,440 0.79 1.68 $21.09 $43,870
Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA NECTA Division 1,250 0.73 1.55 $23.25 $48,360
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division 1,240 0.32 0.68 $21.45 $44,620
Edison-New Brunswick, NJ Metropolitan Division 1,180 1.21 2.58 $22.56 $46,930
Pittsburgh, PA 1,010 0.89 1.90 $18.48 $38,430
Wilmington, DE-MD-NJ Metropolitan Division 980 3.06 6.49 $28.83 $59,970
Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI 890 0.51 1.08 $25.32 $52,670




Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Lake Charles, LA 280 3.17 6.74 $26.42 $54,950
Wilmington, DE-MD-NJ Metropolitan Division 980 3.06 6.49 $28.83 $59,970
Ann Arbor, MI 430 2.24 4.76 $19.44 $40,440
Sheboygan, WI 110 2.07 4.40 $23.07 $47,990
Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol, TN-VA 230 2.00 4.25 $21.79 $45,320
Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX 310 1.98 4.21 $33.21 $69,080
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC 530 1.94 4.12 $20.37 $42,370
Cleveland, TN 70 1.93 4.11 $25.45 $52,940
Kennewick-Pasco-Richland, WA 170 1.74 3.69 $25.29 $52,590
Kalamazoo-Portage, MI 220 1.73 3.68 $20.44 $42,520