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Seniority Profile · California

Entry-level Chemists salary in California

Roles that require limited judgement and close supervision. Typically less than two years of relevant experience or fresh graduates entering the field.

Adrian Serafin, founder and editor of RateOrchardBy Adrian SerafinFounderUpdated May 4, 2026
BLS percentile range
P10 to P25 of the California OES distribution for Chemists.
DOL OFLC offered median
$80,870
Across 49 certified filings at this wage level.
Real disclosed salaries

Entry-level Chemists in California: actual employer-disclosed pay

Public records from 49 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $80,870. 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.

LevelFilingsMedian offer
Level I — entry49$80,870

Top employers filing for this role

Companies with the most certified filings for Entry-level Chemists in California. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.

EmployerMost-filed titleFilingsMedian
The Leland Stanford, Jr UniversityPostdoctoral Research Affiliate5$89,000
The Scripps Research InstituteResearch Scientist (PhD)3$77,147
Leland Stanford Jr. Univ/SLAC National Accelerator LabProject Scientist3$77,688
Advanced Technology Laboratories Inc.Chemist, Organics and Inorganics Analysis3$57,262
Power Environmental Energy Research InstituteResearch Associate2$61,000
eJoule, Inc.Process Engineer, Chemistry2$87,360
Alpha Consulting LLCAssociate Scientist - III (Senior) CA2$93,600
Formurex, Inc.Associate Scientist1$62,000
NTESS LLCPOSTDOCTORAL APPOINTEE - ULTRAFAST CHEMICAL DYNAMICS1$110,000
Nurix Therapeutics, Inc.Medicinal Chemistry Contractor1$87,360

Recent sample filings

A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.

  • Research Associate at Power Environmental Energy Research Institute
    $62,000
    CovinaWage Level IDecided Sep 29, 2025I-200-25265-324722
  • Research Scientist (PhD) at The Scripps Research Institute
    $76,918
    La JollaWage Level IDecided Sep 9, 2025I-200-25245-282081
  • Associate Scientist at Formurex, Inc.
    $62,000
    StocktonWage Level IDecided Sep 5, 2025I-200-25240-274958
  • Project Scientist at Leland Stanford Jr. Univ/SLAC National Accelerator Lab
    $90,000
    Menlo ParkWage Level IDecided Aug 25, 2025I-200-25230-249779
  • Chemist, Organics and Inorganics Analysis at Advanced Technology Laboratories Inc.
    $58,344
    SACRAMENTOWage Level IDecided Aug 12, 2025I-200-25217-222503
  • POSTDOCTORAL APPOINTEE - ULTRAFAST CHEMICAL DYNAMICS at NTESS LLC
    $110,000
    LIVERMOREWage Level IDecided Aug 7, 2025I-200-25212-212169
  • Medicinal Chemistry Contractor at Nurix Therapeutics, Inc.
    $87,360
    San FranciscoWage Level IDecided Jul 24, 2025I-203-25198-181641
  • Process Engineer, Chemistry at eJoule, Inc.
    $87,360
    FremontWage Level IDecided Jun 30, 2025I-200-25175-122550

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.