Chemical Engineer salary

Q: How much does a chemical engineer make?

The median chemical engineer salary in the U.S. is about $121,860 per year. Most chemical engineers earn between $78,520 and $182,150, and top earners (90th percentile) make $182,150 or more. These national figures come from published U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS OEWS) wage data.

Q: How much do entry-level chemical engineers make?

Entry-level chemical engineers (0–2 years) earn about $95,000 per year, rising to roughly $131,500 at mid-level and $164,500+ at the principal/staff level. These by-experience figures are modeled estimates based on typical engineering career progression.

Q: Do chemical engineers make good money?

Yes. The median chemical engineer salary of $121,860 is 1% above the roughly $120,395 median across engineering occupations, and experienced chemical engineers can earn $182,150 or more.

Q: Which cities pay chemical engineers the most?

Estimated chemical engineer pay is highest in Houston ($152,290), Baltimore ($151,360), Denver ($140,900). These are cost-of-labor estimates that adjust the national baseline by local wage levels — not direct BLS metro wages.

Verified

Updated March 2025

Chemical engineers apply chemistry, physics, and biology to design processes that produce chemicals, fuels, drugs, and food.

Median pay

$121,860

U.S. typical

Top earners

$182,150

90th percentile

Entry level

$95,000

0–2 yrs

Senior

$164,500

15+ yrs

The median chemical engineer salary in the U.S. is about $121,860 per year. Entry-level pay starts near $78,520, while top earners (90th percentile) make $182,150 or more. Add your city and experience for a sharper, local number.

Median annual wage

$121,860

Mean

$128,430

10th pct · $78,52090th pct · $182,150

What chemical engineers do

Design and optimize chemical processes and equipment, scale up production, and ensure safety and environmental compliance.

Chemical engineers apply chemistry, physics, and biology to design processes that produce chemicals, fuels, drugs, and food.

What affects chemical engineer pay

▹Industry (oil & gas and pharma pay above commodities)
▹Process vs. R&D vs. plant operations
▹Years of experience
▹PE license for certain roles
▹Metro and state cost of labor

Chemical Engineer salary by experience

Pay typically climbs from about $95,000 for entry level engineers to $164,500+ at the principal / staff level.

Entry level 0–2 yrs

$95,000

Early career 3–5 yrs

$114,500

Mid level 6–9 yrs

$131,500

Senior 10–14 yrs

$148,500

Principal / Staff 15+ yrs

$164,500

Your actual offer depends on company, location, and specialization — run the calculator for a tailored range.

Highest-paying cities for chemical engineers

Published chemical engineer pay in the top-paying U.S. metro areas, vs the national benchmark.

15results

Metro	State	Median	90th pct	vs U.S.	Data
Houston Texas	TX	$152,290	$211,090	+25%	Verified
Baltimore Maryland	MD	$151,360	$198,850	+24%	Verified
Denver Colorado	CO	$140,900	$169,990	+16%	Verified
Kennewick Washington	WA	$139,560	$182,040	+15%	Verified
Baton Rouge Louisiana	LA	$130,350	$186,410	+7%	Verified
Washington, D.C. District of Columbia	DC	$129,040	$182,810	+6%	Verified
Los Angeles California	CA	$122,950	$186,410	+1%	Verified
New York City New York	NY	$122,660	$176,130	+1%	Verified
Boston Massachusetts	MA	$122,190	$174,770	0%	Verified
Philadelphia Pennsylvania	PA	$120,300	$178,270	-1%	Verified
Chicago Illinois	IL	$119,490	$177,340	-2%	Verified
Cleveland Ohio	OH	$116,370	$162,430	-5%	Verified
Cincinnati Ohio	OH	$115,970	$161,300	-5%	Verified
Worcester Massachusetts	MA	$112,270	$168,060	-8%	Verified
Detroit Michigan	MI	$108,760	$148,240	-11%	Verified

Chemical Engineer salary by state

All 43 states with published chemical engineer wage data, ranked highest to lowest. Open a state for its full metro-level breakdown.

Rank	State	Median	90th pct
1	Oklahoma	$160,990	$223,050
2	New Mexico	$147,290	$214,460
3	West Virginia	$139,730	$176,480
4	Texas	$135,160	$211,090
5	Virginia	$132,550	$171,930
6	New York	$132,480	$164,280
7	Colorado	$131,740	$169,990
8	Delaware	$131,330	$178,270
9	Louisiana	$131,180	$174,600
10	Washington	$130,830	$182,040
11	Maryland	$129,710	$188,010
12	North Dakota	$127,970	$141,700
13	Arizona	$125,050	$190,000
14	Illinois	$120,360	$171,110
15	Massachusetts	$119,260	$173,050
16	New Jersey	$118,340	$179,880
17	Oregon	$115,800	$166,110
18	Indiana	$115,570	$173,990
19	Ohio	$115,190	$164,280
20	Minnesota	$114,060	≥$239,200
21	Kentucky	$112,390	$153,210
22	Tennessee	$110,150	$183,400
23	North Carolina	$109,940	$160,630
24	Kansas	$107,200	$204,640
25	Pennsylvania	$107,040	$171,290
26	Idaho	$106,980	$170,000
27	Michigan	$106,690	$157,590
28	Alaska	$106,360	$121,940
29	Nebraska	$105,560	$174,980
30	South Carolina	$104,660	$142,370
31	Florida	$104,000	$154,870
32	Alabama	$103,620	$191,400
33	Mississippi	$102,470	$133,810
34	Georgia	$102,360	$181,540
35	Iowa	$101,080	$126,600
36	Missouri	$101,010	$161,600
37	Montana	$100,900	$160,000
38	Connecticut	$99,990	$159,870
39	Arkansas	$99,020	$130,430
40	Wisconsin	$92,530	$127,720
41	Rhode Island	$91,770	$132,000
42	Utah	$80,820	$126,490
43	Nevada	$78,220	$130,460

Figures are published state wage data, not modeled. States without published data for this occupation are not listed. See Source details for provenance.

Chemical Engineer salary — frequently asked questions

How much does a chemical engineer make?

The median chemical engineer salary in the U.S. is about $121,860 per year. Most chemical engineers earn between $78,520 and $182,150, and top earners (90th percentile) make $182,150 or more. These national figures come from published U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS OEWS) wage data.

What is the highest chemical engineer salary?

Top-earning chemical engineers (90th percentile) make about $182,150 or more nationally. In the highest-paying metros, estimated pay can run even higher — for example around $152,290 in Houston. Metro figures are cost-of-labor estimates, not direct BLS metro data.

How much do entry-level chemical engineers make?

Entry-level chemical engineers (0–2 years) earn about $95,000 per year, rising to roughly $131,500 at mid-level and $164,500+ at the principal/staff level. These by-experience figures are modeled estimates based on typical engineering career progression.

Do chemical engineers make good money?

Yes. The median chemical engineer salary of $121,860 is 1% above the roughly $120,395 median across engineering occupations, and experienced chemical engineers can earn $182,150 or more.

Which cities pay chemical engineers the most?

Estimated chemical engineer pay is highest in Houston ($152,290), Baltimore ($151,360), and Denver ($140,900). These are cost-of-labor estimates that adjust the national baseline by local wage levels — not direct BLS metro wages.

How can a chemical engineer earn more?

Chemical Engineer pay rises most with industry (oil & gas and pharma pay above commodities), process vs. r&d vs. plant operations, and years of experience. Moving to a higher-cost metro, specializing, and taking on senior or lead scope are the biggest levers — the salary calculator lets you model each one.

Source details

Published wage from BLS OEWS May 2024 for SOC 17-2041 (Chemical Engineers), national.

Benchmarks come from published government wage data via BLS OEWS. Local and emerging-role figures are labeled estimates. Full methodology →