The median annual wage for chemical technicians was $44,660 in May 2015.
The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $27,260, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $75,230.
In May 2015, the median annual wages for chemical technicians in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:
Research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences
$51,000
Basic chemical manufacturing
49,940
Pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing
44,820
Colleges, universities, and professional schools; state, local, and private
42,470
Testing laboratories
37,350
Most technicians work full time. Processing technicians often work longer and later shifts than laboratory technicians because many manufacturing facilities operate around the clock.
Chemical Technicians
Median annual wages, May 2015
Chemical technicians
$44,660
Life, physical, and social science technicians
$43,490
Total, all occupations
$36,200
Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment Statistics