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Chemists pay in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV and Wilmington, NC
The May 2025 BLS OEWS median for Chemists is $144,680 per year in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV. It is $78,130 per year in Wilmington, NC. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV is 85.2% above Wilmington, NC 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 2,490 wage and salary jobs in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV and 400 in Wilmington, NC. 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