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Boston Career Explorer

Life, Physical, and Social Science

Chemical Technicians

Conduct chemical and physical laboratory tests to assist scientists in making qualitative and quantitative analyses of solids, liquids, and gaseous materials for research and development of new products or processes, quality control, maintenance of environmental standards, and other work involving experimental, theoretical, or practical application of chemistry and related sciences.

Also called: Analytical Laboratory Technician (Analytical Lab Technician), Chemical Analyst, Chemical Technician, Laboratory Analyst (Lab Analyst), Laboratory Technician (Lab Tech), Laboratory Tester (Lab Tester)

Median pay in Greater Boston
$67,850
$32.62/hr
Jobs in Greater Boston
1,240
Massachusetts 2024–2034
−0.1%
240 openings a year
Typical U.S. entry requirement
Associate's degree
plus Moderate-term on-the-job training

Greater Boston: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, May 2025. Growth and openings: Massachusetts statewide projection.

Pay range in Greater Boston

Yearly pay in Greater Boston by percentile
10th25thMedian75th90th
$48,730$60,660$67,850$82,190$94,570

10% of workers earn less than the first figure and 10% earn more than the last.

What you’d do

  • Conduct chemical or physical laboratory tests to assist scientists in making qualitative or quantitative analyses of solids, liquids, or gaseous materials.
  • Maintain, clean, or sterilize laboratory instruments or equipment.
  • Monitor product quality to ensure compliance with standards and specifications.
  • Set up and conduct chemical experiments, tests, and analyses, using techniques such as chromatography, spectroscopy, physical or chemical separation techniques, or microscopy.
  • Prepare chemical solutions for products or processes, following standardized formulas, or create experimental formulas.
  • Compile and interpret results of tests and analyses.

AI and this job

AI exposure: how much of this job’s work AI tools can do or help with, based on national research. It is not a forecast of job loss.

Moderate exposure52 of 100

The index averages three national research measures, each shown as a percentile of all jobs:

  • AIOE 48
  • Language-model AIOE 45
  • GPTs-are-GPTs 63

Observed AI use today: Substantial (Anthropic Economic Index)

This job has moderate AI exposure, and AI tools are already used a good deal in this kind of work. They can help with analyzing results and keeping records. Running tests, cleaning and maintaining instruments, and mixing solutions rely on hands-on skill and careful judgment.

Likely to change

  • Analyzing test results and spotting trends
  • Writing up records and quality reports

Still relies on people

  • Running tests and experiments by hand
  • Preparing solutions and cleaning lab instruments

Written with AI from the data on this page. Check with a career coach before making a decision.

Next steps from here

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Training near Boston

College and school programs in the Boston metro area that lead to this job, with 2023-24 completions (IPEDS).

23 programs near Boston (plus 19 graduate)

Related occupations

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