Chemist California
Chemist salary in California
Typical pay
$140,000a year
Most Chemists earn $85k to $170k a year
From 88 current job postings, updated Oct 31, 2026 Pay that employers list in their job postings
The median Chemist salary in California is $140,000 a year. Most job postings pay $85,000 to $170,000. From 88 current job postings, updated Oct 31, 2026.
155 open jobs. See them
Typical pay by city in California
Back to the whole USCalifornia
$140k typical, most $85k to $170k
| San Francisco, CA | $152k | $138k to $175k | 23 |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego, CA | $95k | $69k to $149k | 25 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $68k | $42k to $138k | 27 |
| Bakersfield, CA | – | – | 0 |
| Oxnard, CA | – | – | 1 |
| Riverside, CA | – | – | 1 |
| Sacramento, CA | – | – | 7 |
| San Jose, CA | – | – | 7 |
| Santa Maria, CA | – | – | 0 |
| Santa Rosa, CA | – | – | 1 |
| Visalia, CA | – | – | 0 |
Pay advertised in current postings, per year. Postings are those that list pay.
Pay by experience level
What most job postings pay at each stage. The dot is typical pay.
- Starting out 19 job postings$37k $64k
Typical: $62k
Most new hires start near the low end.
- Experienced 19 job postings$77k $138k
Typical: $104k
- Senior 34 job postings$109k $178k
Typical: $151k
- Lead or manager 3 job postings
Not enough postings yet (we show pay once 10 postings list it)
Where would you land?
Pick your level to see what most Chemist job postings in California pay at it.
Senior: most postings pay $109k to $178k a year, typically $151k.
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Pay by employer and level
Typical yearly pay at the employers with the most postings that list pay. A dash means fewer than 10 of their postings at that level list pay.
Not enough postings yet to show pay by employer here. We list an employer once 10 of its postings list pay.
How much does a Chemist make in California?
Employers hiring now typically offer $140,000 a year for Chemist roles in California. These numbers come from the pay employers list in their job postings, so they show what is on offer today rather than what people earned last year. We only show a number when at least 10 postings list pay.
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