Chemical technicians
Salary, job outlook, AI risk & career information
Chemical technicians in the United States earn a median salary of $60,390 per year — about $29 per hour, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Roughly 57K people work in this occupation nationwide, with projected employment growth of +4%.
AI & Automation Risk
The role is a hybrid of physical laboratory work and digital data analysis. While AI can significantly automate the compilation of results, report generation, and predictive modeling of chemical properties, the core duties of setting up equipment, preparing physical solutions, and maintaining laboratory instruments require a human presence in a physical environment.
Salary by City — What You Actually Take Home
Real purchasing power = salary adjusted for cost of living. Higher = more money in your pocket.
| City | Local Salary | Cost of Living | Real Purchasing Power |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Charles, LABEST VALUE | $88,780 | Below avg (85.9) | $103,411 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | $92,120 | Below avg (90.8) | $101,476 |
| Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | $80,410 | Below avg (84.8) | $94,861 |
| Evansville, IN | $85,230 | Below avg (91.5) | $93,119 |
| Duluth, MN-WI | $80,190 | Below avg (88.8) | $90,337 |
| Midland, MI | $82,780 | Below avg (91.9) | $90,056 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | $79,290 | Below avg (90.0) | $88,055 |
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $80,390 | Below avg (92.6) | $86,817 |
| Bay City, MI | $78,120 | Below avg (91.9) | $84,986 |
| Niles, MI | $77,840 | Below avg (92.4) | $84,270 |
| Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $77,220 | Below avg (91.9) | $84,023 |
| Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | $73,090 | Below avg (94.2) | $77,614 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $73,290 | Below avg (95.1) | $77,076 |
| Columbia, MO | $67,760 | Below avg (89.4) | $75,762 |
| Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL | $64,070 | Below avg (84.8) | $75,539 |