SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Design chemical plant equipment and devise processes for manufacturing chemicals and products, such as gasoline, synthetic rubber, plastics, detergents, cement, paper, and pulp, by applying principles and technology of chemistry, physics, and engineering.
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 17-2041.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $79,420 | $6,618 | $1,527 | $38.19 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $97,820 | $8,152 | $1,881 | $47.03 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $125,040 | $10,420 | $2,405 | $60.12 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $157,190 | $13,099 | $3,023 | $75.57 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $182,880 | $15,240 | $3,517 | $87.92 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Chemical Engineers is $125,040, which is 145% higher. Among the 36 occupations of the field Architecture and Engineering, it ranks number 6 by median pay. With 21,070 jobs, it makes up about 1.4 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Chemical Engineers pay by state
The highest median pay was in New Mexico ($158,190), Virginia ($136,380) and Alabama ($135,030). The lowest was in New Hampshire ($73,250), Utah ($85,520) and Wisconsin ($97,660). The most jobs were in Texas (2,610), California (2,190) and Massachusetts (1,460). The occupation is most concentrated in Delaware, where its share of all jobs is 5.6 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Mexico | 160 | $158,190 | $147,420 | $76.05 |
| Virginia | 790 | $136,380 | $133,340 | $65.57 |
| Alabama | 600 | $135,030 | $124,470 | $64.92 |
| Louisiana | 730 | $134,800 | $135,190 | $64.81 |
| Delaware | 370 | $133,670 | $131,390 | $64.27 |
| Texas | 2,610 | $132,750 | $144,350 | $63.82 |
| West Virginia | 160 | $129,210 | $134,630 | $62.12 |
| New York | 540 | $129,060 | $120,480 | $62.05 |
| Washington | 650 | $128,290 | $134,910 | $61.68 |
| Oklahoma | 110 | $127,790 | $135,010 | $61.44 |
| Montana | 80 | $127,490 | $126,310 | $61.29 |
| Maryland | 500 | $127,190 | $128,790 | $61.15 |
| New Jersey | 440 | $126,760 | $129,080 | $60.94 |
| Colorado | 720 | $125,800 | $126,060 | $60.48 |
| Illinois | 520 | $121,560 | $123,570 | $58.44 |
| Massachusetts | 1,460 | $118,000 | $118,170 | $56.73 |
| Iowa | 40 | $117,590 | $112,070 | $56.54 |
| North Carolina | 380 | $117,410 | $123,550 | $56.45 |
| Kentucky | 190 | $117,170 | $122,160 | $56.33 |
| Pennsylvania | 810 | $116,970 | $127,520 | $56.23 |
| Oregon | 140 | $116,950 | $121,660 | $56.23 |
| North Dakota | 80 | $115,400 | $117,040 | $55.48 |
| Indiana | 720 | $113,160 | $114,590 | $54.41 |
| Rhode Island | 50 | $111,590 | $115,030 | $53.65 |
| Ohio | 1,030 | $111,200 | $118,710 | $53.46 |
| Florida | 230 | $109,000 | $113,080 | $52.41 |
| Minnesota | 210 | $107,670 | $130,240 | $51.77 |
| Idaho | 140 | $106,740 | $128,840 | $51.32 |
| Mississippi | 150 | $106,740 | $113,460 | $51.32 |
| Alaska | not published | $106,080 | $121,780 | $51.00 |
| Arkansas | 290 | $105,270 | $114,140 | $50.61 |
| Georgia | 330 | $103,880 | $112,180 | $49.94 |
| Michigan | 670 | $103,230 | $105,570 | $49.63 |
| Missouri | 320 | $102,320 | $119,110 | $49.19 |
| Connecticut | 410 | $102,270 | $114,410 | $49.17 |
| Kansas | 280 | $102,020 | $115,070 | $49.05 |
| South Carolina | 390 | $101,570 | $106,920 | $48.83 |
| Nebraska | 130 | $98,310 | $107,760 | $47.27 |
| Wisconsin | 110 | $97,660 | $98,440 | $46.95 |
| Utah | not published | $85,520 | $96,460 | $41.11 |
| New Hampshire | 40 | $73,250 | $90,810 | $35.22 |
| Arizona | 80 | not published | not published | not published |
| California | 2,190 | not published | not published | not published |
| Nevada | 110 | not published | not published | not published |
| Tennessee | 480 | not published | not published | not published |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Aerospace Engineers$134,960 a year
- Nuclear Engineers$133,970 a year
- Electronics Engineers, Except Computer$130,220 a year
- Engineers, All Other$122,930 a year
- Electrical Engineers$120,630 a year
- Health and Safety Engineers, Except Mining Safety Engineers and Inspectors$115,160 a year
Common questions
How much do Chemical Engineers earn in the United States?
The median pay was $125,040 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $79,420 and the highest-paid 10% more than $182,880.
How many people work as Chemical Engineers?
About 21,070 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.