Salary guide, May 2025
Formulation Chemist pay, United States
Manufacturing Headhunters uses the published BLS OEWS figures below. They describe the mapped occupation and area, not an individual offer.
This is what we do all day: recruit manufacturing professionals.
The median annual wage for Chemists in the United States was $91,240 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $69,460 and $125,550.
Also searched as: Formulation Scientist, Product Development Chemist. These titles share this page because BLS reports them under one occupation.
Broader occupation · SOC 19-2031 Chemists
BLS measures this broader occupation across industries. It does not publish a separate wage for this manufacturing title.
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $58,460 | $69,460 | $91,240 | $125,550 | $160,830 |
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $28.11 | $33.39 | $43.87 | $60.36 | $77.32 |
BLS estimated 82,770 workers employed in this occupation in the United States.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 19-2031 Chemists, U.S.. Official occupation data · Official area tables. Released 2026-05-15.
How does pay compare in the target metros?
| Metro | Median | 25th to 75th | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $83,180 | $63,560 to $108,640 | 440 | 0.29 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $76,830 | $57,880 to $100,820 | 240 | 0.31 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $73,100 | $57,690 to $98,780 | 130 | 0.17 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $84,150 | $66,290 to $106,570 | 740 | 1.86 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $85,150 | $76,940 to $108,700 | 6,750 | 1.34 |
| Northern New Jersey within New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $85,150 | $76,940 to $108,700 | 6,750 | 1.34 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $81,270 | $69,570 to $116,670 | 850 | 0.39 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $90,920 | $72,950 to $123,290 | 2,630 | 1.1 |
Rank every metro for Formulation Chemist
What should you know about pay by manufacturing industry, United States?
Same BLS occupation, national estimates for each manufacturing industry (NAICS) BLS publishes, May 2025. Industry names are BLS labels.
- Tobacco Manufacturing$122,210
- Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing$113,240
- Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing$107,890
- Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing$107,570
- Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only)$103,580
- Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only)$102,290
- Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing$102,170
- Machinery Manufacturing$102,060
- Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing$101,340
- Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing$101,340
- Transportation Equipment Manufacturing$100,380
- Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing$96,470
- Miscellaneous Manufacturing$94,880
- Plastics Product Manufacturing$93,490
- Animal Food Manufacturing$93,150
Bars show up to 15 industries with exact annual medians. The table lists every published industry.
| NAICS | Industry | Employment | 25th | Median | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31-33 | Manufacturing | 34,670 | $74,310 | $90,750 | $117,010 |
| 325000 | Chemical Manufacturing | 27,530 | $74,130 | $88,890 | $114,580 |
| 325400 | Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing | 13,610 | $65,680 | $80,440 | $103,910 |
| 3250A1 | Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) | 8,900 | $80,230 | $103,580 | $137,080 |
| 3250A2 | Chemical Manufacturing (3255 and 3256 only) | 5,010 | $67,130 | $82,870 | $102,540 |
| 324000 | Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | 1,390 | $85,800 | $101,340 | $125,140 |
| 324100 | Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | 1,390 | $85,800 | $101,340 | $125,140 |
| 334000 | Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing | 1,180 | $83,740 | $107,570 | $133,150 |
| 334500 | Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing | 940 | $85,890 | $107,890 | $133,150 |
| 339000 | Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 920 | $79,280 | $94,880 | $106,130 |
| 311000 | Food Manufacturing | 850 | $60,750 | $75,460 | $101,250 |
| 339100 | Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing | 790 | $80,480 | $96,470 | $106,680 |
| 326000 | Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing | 520 | $75,260 | $91,260 | $115,400 |
| 332000 | Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing | 420 | $64,170 | $74,510 | $89,050 |
| 327000 | Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing | 360 | $67,050 | $89,680 | $125,260 |
| 327000 | Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing | 360 | $67,050 | $89,680 | $125,260 |
| 326100 | Plastics Product Manufacturing | 350 | $74,780 | $93,490 | $118,070 |
| 333000 | Machinery Manufacturing | 310 | $82,420 | $102,060 | $126,320 |
| 335000 | Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and Component Manufacturing | 270 | $65,240 | $83,470 | $128,860 |
| 332800 | Coating, Engraving, Heat Treating, and Allied Activities | 260 | $61,310 | $74,060 | $95,340 |
| 335900 | Other Electrical Equipment and Component Manufacturing | 250 | $65,190 | $84,850 | $134,120 |
| 3330A1 | Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) | 240 | $85,340 | $102,290 | $126,520 |
| 334400 | Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing | 240 | $74,150 | $102,170 | $135,720 |
| 336000 | Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | 230 | $79,260 | $100,380 | $119,990 |
| 331000 | Primary Metal Manufacturing | 220 | $67,700 | $84,950 | $105,510 |
| 312000 | Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing | 190 | $72,720 | $84,360 | $109,080 |
| 311900 | Other Food Manufacturing | 180 | $81,520 | $92,100 | $103,100 |
| 311100 | Animal Food Manufacturing | 170 | $67,220 | $93,150 | $108,990 |
| 311500 | Dairy Product Manufacturing | 170 | $52,510 | $60,750 | $75,460 |
| 326200 | Rubber Product Manufacturing | 170 | $75,510 | $88,750 | $111,420 |
| 331400 | Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Production and Processing | 170 | $67,700 | $83,860 | $105,510 |
| 322000 | Paper Manufacturing | 150 | $74,570 | $87,630 | $107,820 |
| 312100 | Beverage Manufacturing | 140 | $67,260 | $80,980 | $100,220 |
| 322200 | Converted Paper Product Manufacturing | 140 | $75,180 | $87,760 | $107,820 |
| 311200 | Grain and Oilseed Milling | 130 | $68,690 | $86,120 | $101,280 |
| 339900 | Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 130 | $72,180 | $84,510 | $106,130 |
| 336400 | Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | 110 | $94,900 | $113,240 | $127,130 |
| 313000 | Textile Mills | 100 | $70,180 | $77,990 | $78,590 |
| 311300 | Sugar and Confectionery Product Manufacturing | 90 | $45,880 | $45,880 | $75,080 |
| 311400 | Fruit and Vegetable Preserving and Specialty Food Manufacturing | 90 | $63,240 | $66,010 | $76,060 |
| 313300 | Textile and Fabric Finishing and Fabric Coating Mills | 90 | $77,330 | $77,990 | $86,310 |
| 3320A1 | Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3321, 3322, 3325, 3326, and 3329 only) | 80 | $67,760 | $74,760 | $93,080 |
| 312200 | Tobacco Manufacturing | 50 | $84,360 | $122,210 | $145,930 |
| 3320A2 | Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3323 and 3324 only) | 50 | $71,000 | $76,060 | $79,620 |
| 336300 | Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing | 40 | $77,830 | $84,850 | $105,580 |
| 332700 | Machine Shops; Turned Product; and Screw, Nut, and Bolt Manufacturing | Not published by BLS | $59,300 | $64,900 | $76,960 |
What should you know about manufacturing pay mix?
For Formulation Chemist, separate the guaranteed salary from any discretionary bonus or commission arrangement. OEWS includes base rate, guaranteed pay and production incentive pay. It excludes overtime premium, shift differentials and nonproduction bonuses. An attendance bonus is not a production bonus; confirm its purpose and treatment rather than adding every bonus to the BLS figure.
Skills-based pay steps affect the base rate when they are part of straight-time pay; BLS does not publish a separate rate for each plant's skill grade. Ask whether a tool allowance is expense reimbursement or wage pay. OEWS does not publish a separate tool-allowance component. Keep these items separate in the offer so the published wage is not mistaken for the whole package.
Pay mix here means how published medians for this one BLS occupation differ across manufacturing industries and against the all-industry median. It does not split pay into base, incentive or overtime. BLS wages are straight-time gross pay and exclude overtime, shift differentials and nonproduction bonuses.
What should you know about two BLS releases?
| Release period | 25th | Median | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2024 | $63,930 | $84,150 | $120,210 |
| May 2025 | $69,460 | $91,240 | $125,550 |
These are two separate BLS estimates from different survey panels. The workers and employers behind them differ, so the gap is not like-for-like pay for the same workers and is not a growth rate. We show no percentage change.
Recruiter's read. Qualitative, not BLS data.
What should you know about customer-driven development and troubleshooting?
Many formulation chemists work directly with customers who report a failure in the field. We ask how they reproduced the problem, how they identified root cause and how they communicated with a frustrated customer who wanted an answer. This shows technical judgment and temperament in one conversation.
What should you know about questions?
Wages for the OEWS survey are straight-time, gross pay, exclusive of premium pay. Base rate; cost-of-living allowances; guaranteed pay; hazardous-duty pay; incentive pay, including commissions and production bonuses; and tips are included. Excluded are overtime pay, severance pay, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses, employer cost for supplementary benefits, and tuition reimbursements.
What is the median pay for a Formulation Chemist?
The median annual wage for Chemists in the United States was $91,240 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $69,460 and $125,550. This is the broader occupation BLS publishes, not a figure for this exact title.
What does the 10th percentile mean here?
10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than $58,460. 90% earned less than $160,830.
Does this include overtime or bonuses?
Wages for the OEWS survey are straight-time, gross pay, exclusive of premium pay. Base rate; cost-of-living allowances; guaranteed pay; hazardous-duty pay; incentive pay, including commissions and production bonuses; and tips are included. Excluded are overtime pay, severance pay, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses, employer cost for supplementary benefits, and tuition reimbursements.
Is this the pay for a Formulation Chemist at a plant?
BLS measures this broader occupation across industries. It does not publish a separate wage for this manufacturing title. These are occupation estimates across all industries, not an offer for a particular manufacturing title.
How many people work in this occupation?
BLS estimated 82,770 workers employed in this occupation in the United States.
What should you know about related?
What does this data mean for your opening?
Manufacturing Headhunters reviews the national salary data for Chemists (SOC 19-2031), which represents the professional base for Formulation Chemists. The national median is $91,240, reflecting a medianChange of $7,090 from the $84,150 median in May 2024. The middleBandWidth is $56,090, spanning from a P25 of $69,460 to a P75 of $125,550.
High-earning industries such as Tobacco Manufacturing at $122,210 and Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing at $113,240 show the premium placed on specialized technical applications.
Comparing the national data to major hubs reveals substantial local variances. In the New York-Newark-Jersey City area, the median is $85,150, which is below the national median, with a middleBandWidth of $31,760. Conversely, the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington metro shows a median of $95,440 and a much wider middleBandWidth of $68,090, suggesting high variance in compensation strategies. Philadelphia also demonstrates a high locationQuotient of 2.93, indicating a deep concentration of employment relative to the rest of the country.
The BLS maps these roles to a broad category, making it difficult to isolate wages purely for those managing coatings, adhesives, or personal care formulations. Hiring managers must recognize that these salary reports capture diverse chemical skill sets across all industrial sectors. Supplemental pay components such as specialized technical certifications or relocation incentives are not included in these figures. Utilizing this BLS report provides a necessary starting point for determining offer ranges, though it requires alignment with specific industry-level data.
Which pay questions should you settle before hiring?
How did the national median wage change from 2024 to 2025?
The national median wage increased by $7,090, rising from $84,150 in May 2024 to $91,240 in May 2025. This indicates a significant upward movement in compensation for this occupation.
Why is the middle band width so large in Philadelphia?
The Philadelphia metro shows a middleBandWidth of $68,090, which reflects the wide salary range between the P25 ($65,450) and P75 ($133,540) percentiles. This indicates varied compensation structures among regional employers.
What industries pay the highest median wages for these roles?
Tobacco Manufacturing leads with a median of $122,210, followed by Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing at $113,240. These reflect national industry-specific averages.
Related recruiting or pay page · Related wage comparison 1 · Data methodology · Related wage comparison 3 · Related wage comparison 4