Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$57,870
- 25th Percentile — Junior$68,530
- 50th Percentile — Median$93,250
- 75th Percentile — Senior$127,280
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$172,110
The top 10% of Chemistry Professors earn $172,110 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $57,870, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii (est.) | $163,076 | +55.0% |
| California | $154,490 | +46.8% |
| Alaska (est.) | $138,877 | +32.0% |
| Massachusetts | $130,570 | +24.1% |
| Delaware | $123,060 | +17.0% |
| Minnesota | $122,920 | +16.8% |
| New Hampshire | $121,450 | +15.4% |
| District of Columbia | $117,940 | +12.1% |
| Oregon | $115,700 | +10.0% |
| Utah | $114,960 | +9.3% |
| Kansas | $114,750 | +9.1% |
| North Dakota | $113,150 | +7.5% |
| Maryland | $112,680 | +7.1% |
| New York | $111,660 | +6.1% |
| Rhode Island | $110,720 | +5.2% |
| Michigan | $108,740 | +3.4% |
| Nevada | $107,720 | +2.4% |
| Arizona | $107,300 | +2.0% |
| Wisconsin | $107,080 | +1.8% |
| Connecticut | $101,510 | -3.5% |
| Missouri | $101,260 | -3.8% |
| Iowa | $101,070 | -3.9% |
| Louisiana | $100,930 | -4.1% |
| Illinois | $100,070 | -4.9% |
| Georgia | $99,740 | -5.2% |
| Colorado | $98,960 | -5.9% |
| Maine | $98,200 | -6.7% |
| Idaho (est.) | $97,845 | -7.0% |
| Montana | $96,990 | -7.8% |
| Kentucky | $96,830 | -8.0% |
| Pennsylvania | $96,320 | -8.4% |
| Texas | $96,270 | -8.5% |
| Tennessee | $95,780 | -9.0% |
| Indiana | $95,440 | -9.3% |
| Nebraska | $94,230 | -10.4% |
| Washington | $93,990 | -10.7% |
| Virginia | $93,880 | -10.8% |
| New Mexico | $93,100 | -11.5% |
| South Carolina | $93,030 | -11.6% |
| New Jersey | $92,670 | -11.9% |
| West Virginia | $91,910 | -12.6% |
| Wyoming | $90,300 | -14.2% |
| North Carolina | $90,050 | -14.4% |
| Vermont | $89,250 | -15.2% |
| Alabama | $88,450 | -15.9% |
| Ohio | $85,450 | -18.8% |
| Florida | $82,330 | -21.7% |
| South Dakota | $80,790 | -23.2% |
| Oklahoma | $76,110 | -27.7% |
| Mississippi | $74,580 | -29.1% |
| Arkansas | $67,380 | -36.0% |
What Factors Affect Chemistry Professors Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for Chemistry Professors is influenced by geographic location, years of experience, employer type, and educational background. Location alone is a large factor: California pays an average of $154,490, while Arkansas pays $67,380 — a gap of $87,110 per year.
The middle half of Chemistry Professors earn between $68,530 and $127,280 per year. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $57,870, while the top 10% earn more than $172,110.
These figures are the wages employers report to BLS: base pay plus commissions, production bonuses and tips. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, year-end bonuses, benefits and self-employed workers, so total compensation can be higher than the numbers shown.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
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Related career salary benchmarks
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Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for Chemistry Professors?
The average salary for Chemistry Professors in the United States is $105,210 per year, with a median of $93,250.
What is the starting salary for Chemistry Professors?
Entry-level Chemistry Professors typically earn between $57,870 and $68,530 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays Chemistry Professors the most?
California pays Chemistry Professors the most at $154,490 per year on average, followed by Massachusetts ($130,570) and Delaware ($123,060).
How much do Chemistry Professors make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $105,210, Chemistry Professors earn approximately $50.58 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is Chemistry Professors a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 19,980 Chemistry Professors jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $105,210 and a median of $93,250 (OEWS May 2025). This site does not publish job-growth projections; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers the outlook for each occupation.
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