Chemists salary
in San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
- Middle 50%
- $72,550–$127,980
- vs U.S. median
- +4%
- Metro rank
- #26 of 68
Chemists in the San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA metro earn a median of $95,160 a year, based on BLS estimates for 1,370 jobs (May 2025). That is 4% above the U.S. median of $91,240 and 3% below the CA statewide median of $97,860. It ranks #26 of 68 metros with published figures for this job.
- SOURCEBLS OEWS, May 2025
- SAMPLE1,370 jobs (estimate)
- SCOPEall employers, all experience levels
- PERIODMay 2025 estimates
Full percentile breakdown
BLS · metro vs U.S.
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Employers filing for this job in San Diego
1 employers · DOL
Median of each employer’s DOL LCA filings (5+ filings) in this metro, FY2026 Q3. Visa-sponsored positions only, base pay.
| Employer | Median base | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Neurocrine Biosciences | $137,087 | 6 |
Chemists pay in other CA metros
6 metros · BLS
| Metro | Median |
|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $127,790 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $114,890 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $92,660 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $87,060 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $82,960 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $82,400 |
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RELATED JOBS IN SAN DIEGO
Questions
What is the average Chemists salary in San Diego?
The BLS median is $95,160 a year (May 2025). Half of the 1,370 jobs pay between $72,550 and $127,980. The 10th percentile is $61,500 and the 90th is $158,650.
Is San Diego a high-paying metro for Chemists?
That is 4% above the U.S. median of $91,240 and 3% below the CA statewide median of $97,860. It ranks #26 of 68 U.S. metros with published BLS figures for this job.
How much do Chemists make an hour in San Diego?
About $45.75 an hour at the median (the BLS annual figure of $95,160 divided by 2,080 hours, the conversion BLS uses). The middle half earn about $34.88–$61.53 an hour. Straight-time pay, before overtime and shift differentials.
Does this include experience levels?
BLS figures cover all experience levels together. Employer filings carry a DOL wage level, which the free checker can filter by (approximate).
Which employers pay Chemists the most in San Diego?
Among employers with 5+ visa-sponsored filings here, the highest medians were Neurocrine Biosciences ($137,087). These are base wages for sponsored positions, not all employees.
Sources: U.S. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (national + state) (metro area estimates, all employers); employer rows from U.S. DOL OFLC LCA Disclosure Data, FY2026 Q3 (LCA_Disclosure_Data_FY2026_Q3.xlsx). Base pay only. Estimates can have sampling error, especially for smaller metros.