Chemists salary
in San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
- Middle 50%
- $96,100–$160,810
- vs U.S. median
- +40%
- Metro rank
- #3 of 68
Chemists in the San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA metro earn a median of $127,790 a year, based on BLS estimates for 2,180 jobs (May 2025). That is 40% above the U.S. median of $91,240 and 31% above the CA statewide median of $97,860. It ranks #3 of 68 metros with published figures for this job.
- SOURCEBLS OEWS, May 2025
- SAMPLE2,180 jobs (estimate)
- SCOPEall employers, all experience levels
- PERIODMay 2025 estimates
Full percentile breakdown
BLS · metro vs U.S.
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Employers filing for this job in San Francisco
4 employers · DOL
Median of each employer’s DOL LCA filings (5+ filings) in this metro, FY2026 Q3. Visa-sponsored positions only, base pay.
| Employer | Median base | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Genentech | $207,000 | 5 |
| Gilead Sciences | $155,059 | 10 |
| University of California, Berkeley | $89,000 | 7 |
| Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory | $88,044 | 5 |
Chemists pay in other CA metros
6 metros · BLS
| Metro | Median |
|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $114,890 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $95,160 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $92,660 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $87,060 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $82,960 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $82,400 |
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Questions
What is the average Chemists salary in San Francisco?
The BLS median is $127,790 a year (May 2025). Half of the 2,180 jobs pay between $96,100 and $160,810. The 10th percentile is $76,110 and the 90th is $194,730.
Is San Francisco a high-paying metro for Chemists?
That is 40% above the U.S. median of $91,240 and 31% above the CA statewide median of $97,860. It ranks #3 of 68 U.S. metros with published BLS figures for this job.
How much do Chemists make an hour in San Francisco?
About $61.44 an hour at the median (the BLS annual figure of $127,790 divided by 2,080 hours, the conversion BLS uses). The middle half earn about $46.20–$77.31 an hour. Straight-time pay, before overtime and shift differentials.
Does this include experience levels?
BLS figures cover all experience levels together. Employer filings carry a DOL wage level, which the free checker can filter by (approximate).
Which employers pay Chemists the most in San Francisco?
Among employers with 5+ visa-sponsored filings here, the highest medians were Genentech ($207,000), Gilead Sciences ($155,059), University of California, Berkeley ($89,000). These are base wages for sponsored positions, not all employees.
Sources: U.S. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (national + state) (metro area estimates, all employers); employer rows from U.S. DOL OFLC LCA Disclosure Data, FY2026 Q3 (LCA_Disclosure_Data_FY2026_Q3.xlsx). Base pay only. Estimates can have sampling error, especially for smaller metros.