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Chemists pay in Columbia, SC and Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
The May 2025 BLS OEWS median for Chemists is $73,430 per year in Columbia, SC. It is $144,680 per year in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV. Columbia, SC is 49.2% below Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV on the published median.
Both rows use SOC 19-2031 and the same annual wage metric. Median means the middle of each area's published wage spread. It is not one worker's pay. The larger median is not proof that one place gives a better job or a better result. It is one wage fact from one source period.
BLS lists 190 wage and salary jobs in Columbia, SC and 2,490 in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV. Those are survey job counts, not open posts. Read pay, job scale, local share, and price level as separate facts before you make a choice.
Evidence: bls-oews-may-2025 · Rule: same-soc-same-metric-pair · nominal-median-gap · employment-not-openings