Chemist 4 pay range
State of Washington · class code 515S
- Class code
- 515S
- Salary range
- 68
- Pay unit
- Year
- State
- Washington
- The State of Washington published pay range for Chemist 4 is $86,688 to $116,544 per year.
- Washington State Office of Financial Management (OFM) keys this classification as class code 515S.
- 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 68 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 | $86,688 | $88,788 | $91,104 | $93,288 | $95,676 | $98,064 | $100,488 | $102,996 | $105,612 | $108,228 | $110,952 | $113,736 | $116,544 |
| Monthly | $7,224 | $7,399 | $7,592 | $7,774 | $7,973 | $8,172 | $8,374 | $8,583 | $8,801 | $9,019 | $9,246 | $9,478 | $9,712 |
| Hourly | $41.52 | $42.52 | $43.63 | $44.68 | $45.82 | $46.97 | $48.13 | $49.33 | $50.58 | $51.83 | $53.14 | $54.47 | $55.82 |
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
Leads a major chemical analytic unit within a laboratory regularly involved in complex chemical analyses, and supervise other professional level chemists; manages the operation, of the analytic unit, including work flow, data quality control, exercise fiscal signature authority for an analytic unit; or is the designated expert in a specialized area of chemistry critical to the business needs of the agency.
Examples of the work
Participates in formulation and direction of department-wide policy regarding chemical program, chemical research, and chemical investigative functions; evaluates needs and feasibility of initiating or expanding, reducing, or eliminating significant portions of the chemical program; effectively recommends changes indicated; Trains and supervises several subordinate chemists or chemists and microbiologist in a chemical program requiring the regular and frequent performance of original chemical research; coordinates laboratory activities and gives technical assistance in areas of research planning and development of original techniques; Reviews laboratory results obtained and checks research r ...
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 six years of experience performing chemical analysis in an analytical laboratory including at least one year of experience leading or supervising professional chemists. OR One year of experience as a Chemist 3. 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 4 in other states
| State | Minimum | Maximum | Per year at full time |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | $91,628 | $134,900 | $91,628 to $134,900 |
| Pennsylvania | $78,925 | $119,844 | $78,925 to $119,844 |
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.