How much does a Chemical Engineer make?
Chemical Engineers in the United States bring home a median salary of $125,040 a year, or around $60.12 an hour. Pay spans a wide range: the bottom 10% earn under $79,420, while the top 10% earn $182,880.
That is $63,650 more than the median across all occupations in BLS data ($61,390).
Chemical Engineer salary range by percentile
Half of all Chemical Engineers earn between $97,820 and $157,190 a year.
| Pay level | Annual salary | Hourly rate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $79,420 | $38.18 | |
| 25th percentile (early career) | $97,820 | $47.03 | |
| 50th percentile (median) | $125,040 | $60.12 | |
| 75th percentile (experienced) | $157,190 | $75.57 | |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $182,880 | $87.92 |
Highest-paying states for Chemical Engineer
Where you work matters more than almost anything else. New Mexico leads the country for Chemical Engineer pay at $158,190 a year, followed by Virginia ($136,380) and Alabama ($135,030). At the other end, New Hampshire posts the lowest median at $73,250 — a gap of $84,940 for the same job, driven by local demand, industry mix, and cost of living.
| # | State | Median salary | Hourly | vs national |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Mexico | $158,190 | $76.05 | +27% |
| 2 | Virginia | $136,380 | $65.57 | +9% |
| 3 | Alabama | $135,030 | $64.92 | +8% |
| 4 | Louisiana | $134,800 | $64.81 | +8% |
| 5 | Delaware | $133,670 | $64.26 | +7% |
Chemical Engineer salary in every state
Official BLS state-level figures across 41 states and territories. Click a state for the full local breakdown.
Workforce and education
About 21,000 people work as Chemical Engineers in the United States. The mean (average) wage is $129,980 — above the median, which means high earners pull the average up. On qualifications: a bachelor's degree (about 4 years of college) is the standard entry requirement, per O*NET occupation data.
Frequently asked questions
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Related salaries
Other engineering roles with similar pay.