Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2011

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)
59,650 2.0 % $21.42 $44,560 0.6 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $12.50 $15.66 $20.23 $26.43 $32.86
Annual Wage (2) $25,990 $32,580 $42,070 $54,970 $68,340


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 13,890 1.08 $17.69 $36,800
Scientific Research and Development Services 7,210 1.14 $23.77 $49,440
Basic Chemical Manufacturing 5,090 3.57 $24.98 $51,950
Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing 4,860 1.83 $22.03 $45,820
Resin, Synthetic Rubber, and Artificial Synthetic Fibers and Filaments Manufacturing 2,430 2.77 $23.94 $49,800

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Paint, Coating, and Adhesive Manufacturing 2,380 4.26 $22.45 $46,700
Basic Chemical Manufacturing 5,090 3.57 $24.98 $51,950
Resin, Synthetic Rubber, and Artificial Synthetic Fibers and Filaments Manufacturing 2,430 2.77 $23.94 $49,800
Other Chemical Product and Preparation Manufacturing 1,770 2.10 $22.29 $46,370
Pesticide, Fertilizer, and Other Agricultural Chemical Manufacturing 660 1.86 $21.86 $45,470

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Oil and Gas Extraction 60 0.04 $31.72 $65,980
Federal Executive Branch (OES Designation) 60 (7) $31.21 $64,910
Electric Power Generation, Transmission and Distribution 830 0.21 $29.11 $60,550
State Government (OES Designation) 630 0.03 $25.74 $53,530
Other Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing 170 0.07 $25.03 $52,070


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 6,190 0.44 0.95 $22.39 $46,560
Texas 4,530 0.44 0.95 $24.63 $51,240
New York 3,910 0.46 1.00 $22.60 $47,010
New Jersey 3,850 1.02 2.20 $22.66 $47,120
Ohio 3,580 0.72 1.55 $20.26 $42,140




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 600 1.50 3.22 $26.63 $55,400
Wyoming 290 1.08 2.33 $18.90 $39,310
New Jersey 3,850 1.02 2.20 $22.66 $47,120
West Virginia 580 0.82 1.77 $19.43 $40,410
Utah 920 0.79 1.69 $19.09 $39,710




Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Vermont 80 0.27 0.58 $27.76 $57,740
Delaware 600 1.50 3.22 $26.63 $55,400
Alaska 60 0.20 0.44 $26.45 $55,010
New Mexico 240 0.31 0.66 $26.33 $54,770
Massachusetts 2,350 0.75 1.60 $24.82 $51,630





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)
Chicago-Joliet-Naperville, IL Metropolitan Division 2,190 0.61 1.31 $19.22 $39,980
Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX 2,080 0.82 1.76 $27.16 $56,500
New York-White Plains-Wayne, NY-NJ Metropolitan Division 2,050 0.40 0.87 $22.84 $47,510
Edison-New Brunswick, NJ Metropolitan Division 1,530 1.60 3.43 $21.30 $44,310
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Glendale, CA Metropolitan Division 1,460 0.38 0.82 $21.24 $44,180
Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA NECTA Division 1,160 0.69 1.48 $25.30 $52,620
Cleveland-Elyria-Mentor, OH 1,050 1.08 2.31 $20.50 $42,640
Oakland-Fremont-Hayward, CA Metropolitan Division 1,010 1.06 2.27 $24.71 $51,390
Philadelphia, PA Metropolitan Division 930 0.51 1.10 $21.08 $43,850
Newark-Union, NJ-PA Metropolitan Division 930 0.98 2.10 $23.37 $48,620




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 260 3.06 6.59 $25.70 $53,450
Lowell-Billerica-Chelmsford, MA-NH NECTA Division 270 2.41 5.18 $24.19 $50,320
Wilmington, DE-MD-NJ Metropolitan Division 760 2.40 5.15 $27.36 $56,910
Decatur, AL 120 2.37 5.11 $24.35 $50,650
Kennewick-Pasco-Richland, WA 220 2.17 4.67 $23.48 $48,840
Kingsport-Bristol-Bristol, TN-VA 240 2.09 4.50 $21.22 $44,140
Cleveland, TN 70 2.00 4.29 $23.52 $48,910
Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX 310 1.99 4.28 $28.05 $58,340
Kalamazoo-Portage, MI 240 1.84 3.95 $20.82 $43,310
Victoria, TX 80 1.74 3.75 $28.46 $59,190




Top paying metropolitan areas for this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ 390 1.19 2.56 $31.02 $64,510
New Bedford, MA 50 0.84 1.80 $28.86 $60,030
Victoria, TX 80 1.74 3.75 $28.46 $59,190
Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX 310 1.99 4.28 $28.05 $58,340
Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC 160 0.78 1.67 $27.80 $57,810
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY 570 1.35 2.91 $27.52 $57,240
Wilmington, DE-MD-NJ Metropolitan Division 760 2.40 5.15 $27.36 $56,910
San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, CA 630 0.51 1.09 $27.31 $56,800
Albuquerque, NM 200 0.55 1.19 $27.30 $56,790
Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX 2,080 0.82 1.76 $27.16 $56,500

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Other Nevada nonmetropolitan area 420 7.72 16.60 $25.57 $53,190
Balance of Lower Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area 350 1.28 2.75 $19.09 $39,700
Southeast Arizona nonmetropolitan area 250 4.11 8.85 $21.79 $45,330
Northeastern Wyoming nonmetropolitan area 170 3.58 7.70 $14.47 $30,090
West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area 160 0.72 1.55 $19.48 $40,510

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

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Other Nevada nonmetropolitan area 420 7.72 16.60 $25.57 $53,190
Southeast Arizona nonmetropolitan area 250 4.11 8.85 $21.79 $45,330
Northeastern Wyoming nonmetropolitan area 170 3.58 7.70 $14.47 $30,090
Balance of Lower Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area 350 1.28 2.75 $19.09 $39,700
East Idaho nonmetropolitan area 50 1.08 2.32 $21.89 $45,540

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Western Tennessee nonmetropolitan area 60 0.46 1.00 $31.02 $64,510
New Iberia nonmetropolitan area 80 0.64 1.38 $29.88 $62,150
Southwestern Wyoming nonmetropolitan area 50 0.88 1.89 $29.81 $62,000
Southern Vermont nonmetropolitan area (8) (8) (8) $28.51 $59,290
West Kentucky nonmetropolitan area 100 0.71 1.53 $27.59 $57,380


About May 2011 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate--50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly mean wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(7) The value is less than .005 percent of industry employment.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OES estimates and related information:

May 2011 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2011 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2011 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2011 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

List of Occupations in SOC Code Number Order

List of Occupations in Alphabetical Order

Download May 2011 Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates in Zipped XLS files

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: March 27, 2012