Prevailing Wage for Chemists
Prevailing wage for Chemists (SOC 19-2031) is set by DOL across four experience levels, from entry-level lab positions to senior Analytical Chemist and Product Development Chemist roles. The floor shifts substantially by worksite city, so an offer that clears the threshold in Nashville may fall well short of what DOL requires in Washington, DC or San Jose.
See all jobs for ChemistsLook up your work address
Entry-level candidates with a bachelor's degree and limited independent lab experience. Work is closely supervised, tasks are routine and well-defined, and the chemist is still building familiarity with standard analytical methods and instrumentation. Typical for recent graduates entering quality control or research support roles.
Qualified chemists with a few years of hands-on experience who can apply standard techniques independently. Level 2 is the most common filing level for Chemists, covering professionals handling defined analytical projects without constant supervision but not yet directing others or designing novel methods.
Experienced chemists who handle complex analyses, troubleshoot non-routine problems, and may mentor junior staff. Employers typically file at Level 3 for roles requiring specialized expertise in areas such as forensic chemistry, process chemistry, or advanced instrumentation, usually with five or more years of relevant experience.
Fully competent senior chemists who set technical direction, lead research programs, or manage laboratory operations. Level 4 filings apply to positions with broad independent authority, significant cross-functional responsibility, and expertise recognized at an organizational or industry level.
Prevailing Wage for Chemists by OES area
Each shape is a DOL OES area, the unit prevailing wage is published for.
What’s an OES area?
The Department of Labor publishes prevailing wages for geographic zones called OES areas. Every U.S. county belongs to exactly one, and the wage floor applies across the whole area. A worker in Oakland gets the San Francisco metro wage, not a separate Oakland wage.
Top 10 cities · Level 1
See all jobs for Chemists
See which U.S. employers are actively hiring for Chemists and sponsoring H-1B, OPT, and green card visas at or above the prevailing wage.
Search visa-sponsored jobsPrevailing Wage Guide for Chemists
Verify your title maps to SOC 19-2031
Titles like QC Chemist or Air Quality Chemist are sometimes filed under environmental science or materials science SOC codes instead of 19-2031, which can set a different wage floor. Confirm your employer's LCA cites Chemists before accepting an offer.
Account for bonus exclusions in chemistry compensation
Many analytical and product development roles include signing bonuses or project bonuses that DOL excludes from prevailing wage calculations. Your base salary alone must clear the floor; bonuses and equity cannot bridge a shortfall on the LCA.
Watch the Washington DC and Huntsville premium
Government-adjacent chemistry markets like Washington, DC and Huntsville, AL pay dramatically higher prevailing wages than mid-tier metros. If your employer's primary work is at a federal lab or defense contractor site, the LCA must list that worksite, not a lower-wage headquarters city.
Find employers who have sponsored Chemists before
Migrate Mate shows which employers have an actual sponsorship history for chemistry roles, so you can focus your search on labs and manufacturers that have filed for Chemists previously rather than companies that sponsor only in higher-volume tech occupations.
Jobs for Chemists are hiring across the US. Find yours.
Find Jobs for ChemistsPrevailing Wage by Reported Job Title
DOL classifies these titles under SOC 19-2031.00 alongside Chemists, so the same four-tier wage schedule applies to each. Tap a title to see the full breakdown.
Air Quality Chemist Prevailing Wage
Air Quality Chemist Prevailing Wage
Air Quality Chemist positions fall under SOC 19-2031.00 (Chemists). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Analytical Chemist Prevailing Wage
Analytical Chemist Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Analytical Chemist for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 19-2031.00 (Chemists). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Chemical Lab Scientist (Chemical Laboratory Scientist) Prevailing Wage
Chemical Lab Scientist (Chemical Laboratory Scientist) Prevailing Wage
Chemical Lab Scientist (Chemical Laboratory Scientist) is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 19-2031.00 (Chemists). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Forensic Chemist Prevailing Wage
Forensic Chemist Prevailing Wage
Forensic Chemist positions fall under SOC 19-2031.00 (Chemists). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Product Development Chemist Prevailing Wage
Product Development Chemist Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Product Development Chemist for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 19-2031.00 (Chemists). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
QC Chemist (Quality Control Chemist) Prevailing Wage
QC Chemist (Quality Control Chemist) Prevailing Wage
QC Chemist (Quality Control Chemist) is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 19-2031.00 (Chemists). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
R and D Chemist (Research and Development Chemist) Prevailing Wage
R and D Chemist (Research and Development Chemist) Prevailing Wage
R and D Chemist (Research and Development Chemist) positions fall under SOC 19-2031.00 (Chemists). DOL OFLC publishes one four-tier prevailing wage schedule for the entire classification; employers filing H-1B, E-3, or PERM petitions for this title use the levels below.
Research Chemist Prevailing Wage
Research Chemist Prevailing Wage
When a U.S. employer sponsors a Research Chemist for a work visa or green card, DOL applies the prevailing wage schedule for SOC 19-2031.00 (Chemists). Wage level reflects the role's experience and responsibility, not the title itself.
Scientist Prevailing Wage
Scientist Prevailing Wage
Scientist is an O*NET-reported job title within SOC 19-2031.00 (Chemists). All roles in this SOC share the same prevailing wage tiers. The level an employer files at depends on what the role requires, not which title is used.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does DOL set the prevailing wage for Chemists?
DOL uses Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey data collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics across metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. For Chemists under SOC 19-2031, OFLC maps that data to four wage levels based on experience and responsibility. Employers must certify on the Labor Condition Application that the offered wage meets or exceeds the applicable level for the worksite location.
What do the four wage levels mean and how do I know which one applies to my offer?
Level 1 covers entry positions with close supervision and routine tasks. Level 2 applies to qualified professionals working independently on defined projects, and it is the most common filing level for Chemists. Level 3 covers experienced specialists handling complex or non-routine work. Level 4 is reserved for senior or lead roles with broad independent authority. The level is determined by the actual job duties described in the LCA, not the job title alone.
Why does the prevailing wage for the same Chemist role vary so much from city to city?
DOL calculates prevailing wages from regional OES surveys, so wages reflect local labor market conditions rather than a single national number. A forensic or analytical chemistry role in Washington, DC draws on a dense concentration of federal agency and defense contractor employers that bid up local wages, while markets like Nashville or Tallahassee have smaller demand pools and lower survey medians. The LCA must list the actual worksite, so if you work remotely from a low-wage metro for an employer headquartered elsewhere, the relevant floor is where you perform the work.
What happens if an employer offers a salary below the prevailing wage for a sponsored position?
An employer cannot certify the LCA if the offered wage is below the DOL prevailing wage for the worksite and level. USCIS will not approve an H-1B or other sponsored petition without a valid LCA. If the shortfall is discovered after filing, the petition is at risk of denial or revocation. The employer must either raise the offered wage to meet the floor or file under a lower wage level that accurately reflects the actual job duties.
How do I find and verify the prevailing wage for a Chemist position in a specific U.S. city?
Use the OFLC Wage Search to look up SOC 19-2031 for any metropolitan area. Select the area where you will actually perform the work, choose the appropriate wage level, and note the annual figure. You can also cross-reference wage ranges using O*NET occupation data for context. For finding employers with a demonstrated history of sponsoring chemistry roles, Migrate Mate lets you filter by occupation and see which companies have sponsored the role before.
See which employers are hiring and sponsoring visas for Chemists right now.
Search Jobs for Chemists