Chemists in California. BLS OES + DOL OFLC + reader-reported submissions. How this is built →
Salary distribution
Where California chemists fall on the wage curve.
Shaded band = interquartile range (where most full-time workers fall)
The middle 50% of workers earn between $76,340 and $127,790, with a median of $97,860.
Chemists in California: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 287 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $114,663. Every figure below is an actual offered salary an employer attested to under federal law.
By DOL wage level
DOL classifies every offer into one of four wage levels based on the role's experience and skill requirements.
| Level | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|
| Level I — entry | 49 | $80,870 |
| Level II — qualified | 67 | $104,915 |
| Level III — experienced | 63 | $128,939 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 56 | $152,984 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Chemists in California. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gilead Sciences, Inc. | Senior Scientist, Analytical Ops | 14 | $150,551 |
| Amgen Inc. | Process Development Sr Scientist | 13 | $134,420 |
| University of California, Berkeley | Postdoctoral Scholar Employee | 13 | $82,836 |
| Allure Labs, LLC | Production Chemist | 11 | $115,000 |
| Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory | Postdoc | 9 | $74,436 |
| NIVAGEN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC. | CHEMIST | 9 | $83,000 |
| Bristol-Myers Squibb Company | Principal Scientist Biotherapeutics Protein Characterization | 7 | $148,959 |
| Arcus Biosciences, Inc. | Senior Scientist | 6 | $146,492 |
| Genentech, Inc. | Scientist | 6 | $150,551 |
| The Leland Stanford, Jr University | Postdoctoral Research Affiliate | 6 | $108,220 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Scientist II at VITAE ENIM VITAE SCIENTIFIC INC.$85,280San DiegoDecided Dec 30, 2025I-200-25356-501891
- Postdoctoral Associate at The Scripps Research Institute$76,918La JollaDecided Dec 29, 2025I-200-25353-498984
- Postdoctoral Scholar Researcher at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory$90,372BerkeleyDecided Dec 24, 2025I-200-25351-489392
- Sr Associate Scientist, QC PDM at Gilead Sciences, Inc.$148,117Foster CityDecided Dec 23, 2025I-200-25350-485640
- Principal Scientist - Chemistry at Genentech, Inc.$148,117South San FranciscoDecided Dec 22, 2025I-200-25349-484058
- Quality Control & Pharmaceutical Production Specialist at IsoRx Corp.$78,270RichmondDecided Dec 19, 2025I-200-25346-479008
- Postdoctoral Scholar Employee at University of California, Berkeley$89,167BerkeleyDecided Dec 18, 2025I-200-25345-477017
- Director of Chemistry and Sustainability at Novi Connect, Inc.$240,000Culver CityDecided Dec 15, 2025I-200-25342-464331
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification. Disclosed wages reflect what employers attested to pay; actual paid wages may differ. Only certified filings are shown — denied and withdrawn cases are excluded.
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Chemists pay by experience level in California
Each band reflects DOL Wage Levels I-IV mapped onto a four-step ladder. Click a level to see the disclosed-wage range for that segment.
Chemists specialties in California
Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 204 certified offers. The most common variant is Senior Scientist at a median of $135,000.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Senior Scientist | Gilead Sciences, Inc. | 97 | $135,000 |
| CHEMIST | NIVAGEN PHARMACEUTICALS, INC. | 21 | $83,000 |
| Research Associate | Gilead Sciences, Inc. | 17 | $80,870 |
| Research Scientist (Chemist) | Lawrence Livermore National Security, LLC | 16 | $141,795 |
| Postdoctoral Scholar Employee | University of California, Berkeley | 12 | $78,530 |
| Process Development Sr Scientist | Amgen Inc. | 8 | $133,082 |
| Postdoctoral Scholar | Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory | 8 | $78,636 |
| Assistant Project Scientist | University of California, Berkeley | 6 | $91,650 |
| Research Chemist | CHEMEOR, INC. | 6 | $86,565 |
| Engineer | Amgen Inc. | 5 | $105,600 |
| Control Analyst (Chemist) | Issam Tina Solutions, Inc. | 5 | $116,688 |
| Materials Scientist | Headway Technologies, Inc. | 3 | $150,010 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Chemists in California, by industry
Median offered wage across 334 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Professional services leads with a median of $125,000.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Professional services | Gilead Sciences, Inc. | 157 | $125,000 |
| Manufacturing | Allure Labs, LLC | 108 | $109,622 |
| Education | University of California, Berkeley | 41 | $82,836 |
| Technology and software | Issam Tina Solutions, Inc. | 13 | $116,688 |
| Retail and wholesale | Allure Labs, LLC | 10 | $103,500 |
| Nonprofit and civic | Power Environmental Energy Research Institute | 4 | $68,500 |
| Healthcare | Genista Biosciences Inc. | 1 | $92,206 |
Sectors with at least 25 filings link to a dedicated page with full distribution and sample employer breakdown.
Wage trend
Median annual wage in California over the past 3 BLS OES releases. Real values are CPI-adjusted to 2025 dollars.
Typical entry
Education
Bachelor's degree
Experience
None
On-the-job training
None
Top skills (O*NET)
- 4.9 / 5
Chemistry
Knowledge
- 4.1 / 5
Science
Basic skill
- 4.0 / 5
English Language
Knowledge
- 4.0 / 5
Oral Comprehension
Ability
- 4.0 / 5
Reading Comprehension
Basic skill
- 4.0 / 5
Written Comprehension
Ability
- 4.0 / 5
Critical Thinking
Cross-functional
- 4.0 / 5
Oral Expression
Ability
Common tasks (O*NET)
- 01
Develop, improve, or customize products, equipment, formulas, processes, or analytical methods.
- 02
Analyze organic or inorganic compounds to determine chemical or physical properties, composition, structure, relationships, or reactions, using chromatography, spectroscopy, or spectrophotometry techniques.
- 03
Induce changes in composition of substances by introducing heat, light, energy, or chemical catalysts for quantitative or qualitative analysis.
- 04
Conduct quality control tests.
- 05
Write technical papers or reports or prepare standards and specifications for processes, facilities, products, or tests.
- 06
Prepare test solutions, compounds, or reagents for laboratory personnel to conduct tests.
- 07
Maintain laboratory instruments to ensure proper working order and troubleshoot malfunctions when needed.
- 08
Study effects of various methods of processing, preserving, or packaging on composition or properties of foods.
10-year outlook
Growth 2024 → 2034
+4.8%
Projected annual openings
—
BLS outlook
Average growth
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034 cycle.
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Explore coursesTop metros in California
Metro-level salary data for chemists in major California metropolitan areas.
- San Francisco$127,790
- San Jose$114,890
- San Diego$95,160
- Riverside$92,660
- Los Angeles$87,060
- Sacramento$82,400
Compare Chemists pay across nearby states
Considering a move? Compare California with another state
Frequently asked questions
- What is the median salary for Chemists in California?
- According to BLS Occupational Employment Statistics, the median annual wage for Chemists in California is $97,860.
- How does California compare to the national median for Chemists?
- The California median is +5.2% versus the BLS national figure of $93,017.
- What is the salary range for Chemists in California?
- BLS reports the 10th-percentile annual wage at $60,930 and the 90th-percentile at $164,150, which captures most full-time workers in the role.
- Is Chemists a growing field?
- BLS Employment Projections show employment growing by 4.8% over the projection cycle. See the 10-year outlook section above for details.
- What education is required for Chemists?
- BLS lists the typical entry-level education as Bachelor's degree. Many employers also weigh prior experience and credentials.
Information on this page is for general educational purposes only. It is not career, financial, or tax advice. Wage data reflects BLS estimates for the reference year shown and may not match individual offers, employer-specific ranges, or current market conditions. Confirm with a licensed professional before making career or compensation decisions.