The average salary for a chemist in Illinois is around $85,230 per year.
Avg Salary
Chemists earn an average yearly salary of $85,230.
Wages typically start from $60,740 and go up to $141,310.
33% above national average Updated in 2025
Chemist earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level chemist earnings begin at:
$67.94 per hour
$141,310 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level chemist earnings begin at:
$59.28 per hour
$123,290 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level chemist earnings begin at:
$40.98 per hour
$85,230 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level chemist earnings begin at:
$34.21 per hour
$71,160 per year
10th percentile
Starting level chemist earnings begin at:
$29.20 per hour
$60,740 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Chemist salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Texas | $99,640 |
| Minnesota | $99,280 |
| Connecticut | $98,140 |
| California | $97,860 |
| Alabama | $97,830 |
| Michigan | $97,440 |
| Washington | $97,420 |
| North Dakota | $97,330 |
| Virginia | $96,650 |
| Georgia | $92,750 |
| New York | $90,600 |
| Tennessee | $87,930 |
| Vermont | $86,120 |
| Iowa | $86,100 |
| West Virginia | $85,560 |
| Ohio | $85,270 |
| Illinois | $85,230 |
| New Jersey | $84,450 |
| Hawaii | $84,150 |
| Kentucky | $84,090 |
| Kansas | $82,820 |
| Missouri | $82,800 |
| Florida | $82,740 |
| North Carolina | $82,620 |
| Arizona | $81,730 |
| Nevada | $81,170 |
| Utah | $80,770 |
| Mississippi | $80,060 |
| South Carolina | $79,670 |
| Indiana | $78,770 |
| Wisconsin | $78,730 |
| Idaho | $78,000 |
| Pennsylvania | $77,090 |
| Arkansas | $75,570 |
| Oklahoma | $74,960 |
| Nebraska | $74,890 |
| South Dakota | $67,440 |
| Maine | $64,440 |
| Montana | $61,890 |
| Puerto Rico | $55,630 |
| District of Columbia | $149,860 |
| Maryland | $140,670 |
| Delaware | $129,860 |
| New Mexico | $126,960 |
| Massachusetts | $125,000 |
| Alaska | $106,010 |
| Oregon | $104,590 |
| Louisiana | $103,890 |
| Wyoming | $102,000 |
| Colorado | $101,980 |
| Rhode Island | $101,660 |
| New Hampshire | $100,050 |
How do chemist salaries compare to similar careers?
Chemists earn about the same as related careers in Illinois. On average, they make less than forensic science technicians but more than environmental consultants.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Forensic science technician salary | $125K |
| Food science technologist salary | $94K |
| Biochemist salary | $87K |
| Scientist salary | $91K |
| Occupational health specialist salary | $98K |
| Chemist salary | $85K |
| Hydrologist salary | $84K |
| Molecular biologist salary | $83K |
| Bioinformatics scientist salary | $83K |
| Environmental consultant salary | $82K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)