North Carolina · SOC 17-2041
Chemical Engineer Salary in North Carolina
VerifiedPublished wages for chemical engineers in North Carolina, straight from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2024 release — the full percentile distribution, employment concentration, and metro detail.
Chemical Engineers in North Carolina earn a median of $109,940 per year ($118,220 mean), per BLS OEWS May 2024. The middle 50% earn $99,100–$136,640; the top 10% earn $160,630. That is 10% below the national median of $121,860, ranking North Carolina #23 of 43 states that publish this occupation.
Median wage
Verified$109,940
-10% vs national
Top 10% earn
$160,630
90th percentile
Employed in state
450
Reliability Low (21.8% RSE)
Chemical Engineer pay distribution — North Carolina vs national
Every figure below is a published BLS percentile. Bars share one scale, so the two distributions compare directly.
| Percentile | Annual wage | vs national |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentileentry / low | $78,260 | — |
| 25th percentile | $99,100 | +3% |
| Median50th percentile | $109,940 | -10% |
| 75th percentile | $136,640 | -10% |
| 90th percentiletop earners | $160,630 | -12% |
| Meanaverage | $118,220 | -8% |
Where chemical engineers earn most in North Carolina
Metro areas in North Carolina where BLS publishes a wage for SOC 17-2041. Metros BLS withholds are not listed.
| Metro area | Median | Top 10% | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| DurhamDurham-Chapel Hill, NC | $114,120 | $156,140 | 120 |
| CharlotteCharlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $109,940 | $172,850 | 150 |
| RaleighRaleigh-Cary, NC | $106,180 | $161,620 | 80 |
North Carolina engineering labor market
Concentration and pay level across all engineering occupations BLS publishes for this state.
Location quotient
0.70
Jobs per 1,000
0.09
State rank (pay)
#23 of 43
All engineering roles
$116,968
A location quotient of 0.70 means chemical engineers are less concentrated here than the national average, so openings are thinner even where pay is competitive.
Frequently asked questions
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Source details
Published wage from BLS OEWS May 2024 for SOC 17-2041 (Chemical Engineers), North Carolina (state).
Benchmarks come from published government wage data via BLS OEWS. Local and emerging-role figures are labeled estimates. Full methodology →