The median annual wage of chemical technicians was $42,040 in May 2010. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $26,030, and the top 10 percent earned more than $66,710.
Median annual wages in the industries employing the largest numbers of chemical technicians in May 2010 were as follows:
| Basic chemical manufacturing | $48,440 |
| Research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences | 46,320 |
| Pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing | 45,180 |
| Colleges, universities, and professional schools; state, local, and private | 41,050 |
| Testing laboratories | 32,930 |
Most technicians work full time. Processing technicians often work longer and later shifts than research and development technicians because many manufacturing facilities operate around the clock.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 Edition