SOC 19-2031 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Chemists — Kalamazoo
Kalamazoo-Portage, MI · 7 metro areas compared
In Kalamazoo, MI the median wage for Chemists is $105,220 a year, which is 15.3% higher than the national figure of $91,240.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
How pay has moved
The next ten years
Projected to grow about as fast as average
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- +4.9%
- Openings per year
- 6,300
- Typical entry-level education
- Bachelor's degree
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
Projections are published nationally only. This is the outlook for the occupation across the United States, not a measurement for Kalamazoo-Portage, MI.
Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.
Salary overview
In Kalamazoo, MI the median wage for Chemists is $105,220 a year, which is 15.3% higher than the national figure of $91,240. The middle half of workers in this occupation earn between $79,550 and $121,020. The lowest tenth earn under $64,210, while the highest tenth earn more than $140,770.
The area has 230 jobs in this occupation, giving a location quotient of 3.56 — a measure of how concentrated the occupation is here relative to the country as a whole. Within the state, Bay City records the highest median at $132,480. Of the 346 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 26th.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $64,210 | −29.6% |
| 25th | $79,550 | −12.8% |
| Median (50th) | $105,220 | +15.3% |
| 75th | $121,020 | +32.6% |
| 90th | $140,770 | +54.3% |
| Mean | $103,630 | +13.6% |
Other metro areas in Michigan
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Kalamazoo run 5.2% below the national average, so the median of $105,220 goes as far as $110,992 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way it compares to the national median at 21.6% above the national median in real terms.
Published median
$105,220as reported by BLSLocal price level
94.8US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$110,992US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $105,220 a year, 15.3% above the national median.
- Published pay spans $64,210 to $140,770 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The area has 230 jobs in this occupation.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Bay City, at $132,480.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Chemists in Kalamazoo, MI?
The median annual wage is $105,220, or $50.59 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $91,240, so pay in Kalamazoo, MI is 15.3% higher. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Kalamazoo, MI earns more than $140,770 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $64,210 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Bay City, at $132,480 per year.
How many jobs are there in this occupation here?
The survey estimates 230 jobs in this occupation in Kalamazoo, MI. Self-employed workers are not included.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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