Chemist 3 pay range
State of Washington · class code 515R
- Class code
- 515R
- Salary range
- 62
- Pay unit
- Year
- State
- Washington
- The State of Washington published pay range for Chemist 3 is $74,748 to $100,488 per year.
- Washington State Office of Financial Management (OFM) keys this classification as class code 515R.
- This is the range the plan authorises, not the salary of any individual employee.
Step progression
Washington State Office of Financial Management (OFM) assigns this class to salary range 62 in the General Service Salary Schedule. The range pays 13 steps; a step is normally earned on a periodic increment date, not negotiated.
| Basis | A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual | $74,748 | $76,608 | $78,504 | $80,496 | $82,440 | $84,528 | $86,688 | $88,788 | $91,104 | $93,288 | $95,676 | $98,064 | $100,488 |
| Monthly | $6,229 | $6,384 | $6,542 | $6,708 | $6,870 | $7,044 | $7,224 | $7,399 | $7,592 | $7,774 | $7,973 | $8,172 | $8,374 |
| Hourly | $35.80 | $36.69 | $37.60 | $38.55 | $39.48 | $40.48 | $41.52 | $42.52 | $43.63 | $44.68 | $45.82 | $46.97 | $48.13 |
Steps as published. The monthly and hourly rows are the state's own, not conversions of the annual row.
Class specification
The OFM classified job specification for this class is published by Washington State Office of Financial Management (OFM). The passages below are quoted from it as published, not paraphrased, and cut to their opening sentences; the full specification is the authority on duties and qualifications.
What the state says the job is
In laboratory that performs organic, inorganic, radiochemistry, biochemical or analytical performs one or more of the following: Leads lower level chemists and/or technical staff and conducts quantitative and qualitative chemical analysis; Serves as a contracts officer, reviewing and responsible for analytical data quality; Plans, documents, reviews and approves the agency's quality assurance plan for laboratory functions; Supervises chemists and/or lab assistances; Is a designated specialist with experience in a specialty area of chemistry.
Examples of the work
Heads a small laboratory or chemical analysis program employing other professional chemists, assuming final responsibility for the adequacy and technical accuracy of analyses performed; Programs laboratory use of a variety of instruments such as gas chromatographs, polariscopes, infrared spectrophotometers, internal flow counters and multichannel analyzers and develops testing standards and guides for other professional chemistry personnel using this equipment; Meets with department and non-department personnel to discuss laboratory findings and interpretations and to discuss the needs for proposed chemical investigations; Performs original chemical research to develop methods of chemical an ...
Minimum qualifications
A Bachelor's degree with a major in chemistry or a Bachelor's degree with a minimum of 30 semester hours or 45 quarter hours of college level chemistry and four years of experience performing chemical analysis in an analytical laboratory. OR Two years of experience as a Chemist 2. NOTE: A Master's degree will substitute for two years of the required experience or a Ph.D. degree will substitute for three years of the required experience provided a Bachelor's degree and the required college-level chemistry have been achieved.
Quoted from the OFM classified job specification, read 2026-10-21.
Where this comes from
Washington State Office of Financial Management (OFM) publishes this figure in Classified Job Listing joined to the OFM salary schedules effective July 1, 2026. Every number on this page is read from that document; nothing is estimated, modelled or averaged.
The dollar figures come from the salary schedule the listing assigns this range to.
Nearby classes in Washington
Chemist 3 in other states
| State | Minimum | Maximum | Per year at full time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Indiana | $47,320 | $68,614 | $47,320 to $68,614 |
| Minnesota | $66,419 | $98,052 | $66,419 to $98,052 |
| Pennsylvania | $69,086 | $104,959 | $69,086 to $104,959 |
Each state publishes its own range for a classification with this exact title. Duties, grade structures and bargaining units differ between states, so read each class page before comparing.