How to Become a Chemist in Idaho: Salary & Requirements (2026)
Quick answer: The median chemist salary in Idaho is $78,000 per year - 15% below the national median of $91,240 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The career requires a 4-year degree: Bachelor’s in chemistry or biochemistry.
How to Become a Chemist in Idaho
1. Build lab or process experience
QC technician and operator roles are the standard on-ramp.
2. Earn the bachelor’s degree
Chemistry or biochemistry; ACS-approved programs carry the most weight.
3. Start in QC or analytical chemistry
Manufacturers, contract labs, and consumer-products firms hire at the bachelor’s level.
4. Specialize
Formulation, analytical, polymer, or cosmetic chemistry by industry.
5. Advance
Senior chemist, lab manager, or R&D leadership (often with a master’s).
Requirements in Idaho
The education path is national - Bachelor’s in chemistry or biochemistry. There is no occupational license for chemists in most states, including Idaho. Confirm employer or role-specific certifications before you enroll, as details change.
Chemist Salary in Idaho
| Wage level | Annual salary |
|---|---|
| Idaho entry level (10th percentile) | $37,230 |
| Idaho 25th-75th percentile | $58,480 - $106,750 |
| Idaho median | $78,000 |
| Idaho top earners (90th percentile) | $134,850 |
| U.S. median | $91,240 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. State employment: 320.
The Idaho Job Market: Chemist
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Employed in Idaho | 320 |
| Jobs per 1,000 in the state | 0.38 |
| Concentration vs U.S. (location quotient) | 0.71 |
| Mean annual wage in Idaho | $86,120 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. With a location quotient of 0.71, Idaho employs chemists at a lower concentration than the national average; expect fewer openings per capita and weigh relocation or remote-friendly specialties.
Salary Nationwide
| Percentile | Annual wage |
|---|---|
| 10th | $58,460 |
| 25th | $69,460 |
| 50th (median) | $91,240 |
| 75th | $125,550 |
| 90th | $160,830 |
Job Outlook
| Year | Employment |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 86,800 |
| 2034 projected | 91,000 |
| Percent change | +4.9% |
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does a chemist make in Idaho?
The median annual wage for chemists in Idaho is $78,000 (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 15% below the national median of $91,240.
How to become a chemist in Idaho?
The core path is the same nationwide - Bachelor's in chemistry or biochemistry. There is no occupational license for chemists in most states, including Idaho. Confirm employer or role-specific certifications. See the steps on this page.
How many chemists work in Idaho?
BLS counts about 320 chemists employed in Idaho (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Chemist in Nearby States
Related
Sources
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 - Chemists (SOC 19-2031), Idaho and national
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2024-34
About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.
Data sources
Figures on this page are sourced from the federal and state datasets below. Methodology: how we rank and source data.
| Data | Provider | Vintage |
|---|---|---|
| Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics | May 2025 |
| Employment Projections | U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics | 2024-2034 |
| Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System | National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS) | 2024 |
| College Scorecard (school-level outcomes) | U.S. Department of Education | latest release |
| College Scorecard (field-of-study earnings) | U.S. Department of Education | latest release (updated 2026-06-12) |
| Occupational licensing requirements | CareerOneStop (U.S. Department of Labor) | latest release (updated 2026-02-22) |
| Registered apprenticeship programs | CareerOneStop / Apprenticeship.gov (U.S. Department of Labor) | latest release (updated 2025-10-25) |
| O*NET occupation profiles (skills, tasks, tools, job zones) | U.S. Department of Labor (O*NET / Employment & Training Admin.) | O*NET 29.1 (updated 2026-06-13) |