An official website of Washington State government
Chemists
Conduct qualitative and quantitative chemical analyses or experiments in laboratories for quality or process control or to develop new products or knowledge.
What a chemist does
Become a chemist
If you enjoy doing these activities, you might make a good chemist
- Using scientific rules and strategies to solve problems.
- Reading work related information.
- Noticing a problem and figuring out the best way to solve it.
- Thinking about the pros and cons of different options and picking the best one.
- Figuring out how a system should work and how changes in the future will affect it.
Discover what you could earn in Washington
- Average hourly rate is $62 per hour with an average salary of $95,200 per year.
- Half of workers earn between $34 and $74 per hour.
- Half of workers earn an annual salary between $51,000 and $135,200 per year.
- 68% of individuals in this occupation have been employed in every quarter of the past year.
Part-time
- The average hourly rate for part-time workers is $63 per hour with an average salary of $68,800 per year.
Chemist job outlook
- There are 1,513 workers in this occupation in Washington.
- There are 262 openings per year in this occupation in Washington.
Multiple Jobs
- 1% of individuals in this occupation worked for more than one employer.
- 10% of individuals in this occupation held a position in another.