Occupations · Life, Physical, and Social Science
Chemical Technicians
Conduct chemical and physical laboratory tests to assist scientists in making qualitative and quantitative analyses of solids, liquids, and gaseous materials for research and development of new products or processes, quality control, maintenance of environmental standards, and other work involving experimental, theoretical, or practical application of chemistry and related sciences.
O*NET 30.3 Database (USDOL/ETA) · occupation code 19-4031.00
What it pays
A single “average salary” hides the spread. This is the whole distribution — the gap between the bottom and top bar is usually the number that matters.
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024 · national, cross-industry · annual wage
Pay over time
Median up 56% between 2003 and 2024, before inflation. The band shows the 10th to 90th percentile.
BLS OEWS, one release per year. Before May 2011 only national estimates were published, so geography detail starts there.
Where the jobs are
| Metro area | Median wage | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA | $59,450 | 3,590 |
| Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX | $74,620 | 3,070 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $51,140 | 2,020 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $63,200 | 1,630 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $65,000 | 1,530 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward, CA | $68,000 | 1,210 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI | $62,520 | 1,210 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $61,190 | 1,020 |
| San Juan-Carolina-Caguas, PR | $35,690 | 850 |
| San Diego-Carlsbad, CA | $53,090 | 810 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $48,790 | 740 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $60,690 | 640 |
BLS OEWS May 2024, metropolitan estimates · the 12 areas with the most people in this occupation
Typical education to enter: Associate's degree · BLS Employment Projections 2024–34
What people in this job actually do
Ordered by how important the work is rated.
- Conduct chemical or physical laboratory tests to assist scientists in making qualitative or quantitative analyses of solids, liquids, or gaseous materials.
- Maintain, clean, or sterilize laboratory instruments or equipment.
- Monitor product quality to ensure compliance with standards and specifications.
- Prepare chemical solutions for products or processes, following standardized formulas, or create experimental formulas.
- Set up and conduct chemical experiments, tests, and analyses, using techniques such as chromatography, spectroscopy, physical or chemical separation techniques, or microscopy.
- Compile and interpret results of tests and analyses.
- Provide and maintain a safe work environment by participating in safety programs, committees, or teams and by conducting laboratory or plant safety audits.
- Provide technical support or assistance to chemists or engineers.
- Develop or conduct programs of sampling and analysis to maintain quality standards of raw materials, chemical intermediates, or products.
- Train new employees on topics such as the proper operation of laboratory equipment.
- Write technical reports or prepare graphs or charts to document experimental results.
- Order and inventory materials to maintain supplies.
O*NET 30.3 task ratings, importance scale
Skills that matter most
Importance, rated 1 to 5.
O*NET 30.3 skills, importance scale
Software and tools
A dot marks what O*NET flags as in demand.
O*NET 30.3 software skills · hot-technology flag
What this work is actually like
Conditions rated against the average across all occupations — only what makes this job different is listed.
O*NET 30.3 Job Zones
Working conditions that stand out
O*NET 30.3 work context, frequency scale · observed 2021-08
How people actually get in
Share of workers by the education they hold.
O*NET 30.2 education, training and experience · observed 2021-08
What kind of person the work suits
Occupational interest profile, rated 1 to 7.
O*NET 30.2 occupational interests (RIASEC)
What you take with you
Skills rated for how well they transfer into other occupations.
O*NET 30.3 transferable skills, importance scale
Knowledge the work draws on
Abilities it leans on
O*NET 30.3 abilities and knowledge, importance scale
How this job is advertised
The same work is posted under many titles — this is what to search for.
O*NET 30.3 job titles reported for this occupation
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What changed since 2015
Comparing O*NET release 20.1 (2015-10-01) with 30.3 (2026-05-01). Signs, not colour alone, carry the meaning. 1 entries that were only relabelled between releases are left out.
Now listed 10
No longer listed 2
Diff across the O*NET releases held here in full since October 2015, following occupations through merges and retirements. O*NET re-surveys occupations on a rolling cycle, so “no change” can also mean “not re-surveyed”.
Related jobs
O*NET 30.3 related occupations
Also called
O*NET 30.3 alternative titles
The same work in Europe
| ESCO occupation | ISCO | Match |
|---|---|---|
| chemistry technician | 3111.1 | exact |
| biochemistry technician | 3141.2.2 | close |
| scientific laboratory technician | 3141.2 | broader |
| chemical manufacturing quality technician | 3116.1.2 | broader |
| assayer | 2146.1 | broader |
| colour sampling technician | 3116.1.3 | broader |
| leather laboratory technician | 3111.6 | broader |
| textile chemical quality technician | 3119.15.5 | broader |
| textile quality technician | 3119.15.6 | broader |
Official ESCO ↔ O*NET crosswalk (ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA)
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