PublicPay

Chemistry federal salary series 1320

Full-time federal employees in the Chemistry series earned a median of $146,143 in annualized adjusted basic pay in September 2026, 33% above the all-federal median of $109,641. The middle half earned between $121,785 and $177,497.

Median pay
$146,143
full-time, September 2026
Middle 50%
$121,785–$177,497
25th–75th percentile
Employees
4,437
in this series, all schedules
Change in median
+1%
vs. September 2025
Pay distribution, full-time employees with published pay, September 2026
Chemistry
All federal (full-time)

What shapes chemistry pay

The most common grade with published pay is GS-13 (1,053 employees, median $138,370). The largest employer of this series with published pay is the Department of Health and Human Services (1,436 employees). Among states with at least 30 full-time employees with published pay, the median is highest in Maryland ($172,700) and lowest in Kansas ($118,261), a gap that partly reflects locality pay differences. Federal pay depends mostly on grade and step, plus a locality adjustment for where the job is located; see the GS pay scale explainer.

OPM withheld pay for 39% of employees in this series. The figures here describe only employees with published pay; withholding is concentrated in certain agencies (see data coverage).

Chemistry pay by grade

Grades with at least 30 full-time employees with published pay. GS grades are listed first; other pay plans follow.

Chemistry pay by grade
Pay plan–grade Employees Median pay Middle 50%
GS-11 229 $88,818 $82,148–$97,087
GS-12 769 $112,196 $103,395–$119,546
GS-13 1,053 $138,370 $127,725–$146,325
GS-14 456 $169,644 $157,625–$180,985
GS-15 172 $197,200 $186,207–$197,200
RF (ungraded) 80 $233,862 $214,362–$268,115
RG (ungraded) 200 $157,832 $133,964–$187,134
ZP-3 66 $114,350 $99,841–$130,708
ZP-4 105 $170,204 $150,445–$187,093
ZP-5 50 $197,200 $197,200–$197,200

middle 50% (25th–75th percentile) 10th–90th percentile median all-federal median ($109,641)

Chemistry pay by agency

Chemistry pay by agency
Agency Employees Median pay Middle 50%
Department of Health and Human Services 1,436 $150,740 $129,904–$182,295
Department of Justice 400 $154,263 $138,024–$172,700
Environmental Protection Agency 329 $132,604 $113,030–$150,773
Department of Agriculture 237 $124,177 $100,957–$163,127
Department of Commerce 228 $163,514 $131,767–$187,093
Department of Homeland Security 180 $146,143 $119,485–$175,098
Department of the Interior 113 $111,513 $91,594–$142,412
Department of the Treasury 56 $135,970 $121,210–$158,306

middle 50% (25th–75th percentile) 10th–90th percentile median all-federal median ($109,641)

Chemistry pay by state

The 10 states with the most employees in this series and published pay.

Chemistry pay by state
State Employees Median pay Middle 50%
Maryland 1,041 $172,700 $142,185–$188,495
District of Columbia 312 $150,203 $133,964–$172,700
Georgia 234 $123,812 $110,431–$146,325
Colorado 138 $123,088 $106,453–$146,368
California 95 $145,917 $123,087–$168,544
Ohio 82 $133,039 $106,440–$152,847
North Carolina 65 $140,787 $115,906–$166,202
Kansas 60 $118,261 $100,066–$130,873
Virginia 58 $158,322 $138,024–$206,500
Missouri 58 $122,160 $107,350–$133,694

middle 50% (25th–75th percentile) 10th–90th percentile median all-federal median ($109,641)

Compare chemistry pay across all states and agencies →

Change since September 2025

The median moved +1.0% from $144,697 in September 2025 to $146,143 in September 2026. Headcount went from 4,895 to 4,437 (−9.4%). A change in the median reflects both pay adjustments and who joined or left the workforce, so it is not the same as a pay raise.

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