Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$79,420
- 25th Percentile — Junior$97,820
- 50th Percentile — Median$125,040
- 75th Percentile — Senior$157,190
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$182,880
The top 10% of Chemical Engineers earn $182,880 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $79,420, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii (est.) | $201,469 | +55.0% |
| District of Columbia (est.) | $197,570 | +52.0% |
| California (est.) | $184,572 | +42.0% |
| New Mexico | $147,420 | +13.4% |
| Texas | $144,350 | +11.1% |
| Vermont (est.) | $140,378 | +8.0% |
| Louisiana | $135,190 | +4.0% |
| Oklahoma | $135,010 | +3.9% |
| Washington | $134,910 | +3.8% |
| West Virginia | $134,630 | +3.6% |
| Virginia | $133,340 | +2.6% |
| Maine (est.) | $132,580 | +2.0% |
| Nevada (est.) | $132,580 | +2.0% |
| Delaware | $131,390 | +1.1% |
| Minnesota | $130,240 | +0.2% |
| New Jersey | $129,080 | -0.7% |
| Idaho | $128,840 | -0.9% |
| Maryland | $128,790 | -0.9% |
| Arizona (est.) | $128,680 | -1.0% |
| Pennsylvania | $127,520 | -1.9% |
| Montana | $126,310 | -2.8% |
| Colorado | $126,060 | -3.0% |
| Alabama | $124,470 | -4.2% |
| Illinois | $123,570 | -4.9% |
| North Carolina | $123,550 | -4.9% |
| Kentucky | $122,160 | -6.0% |
| Alaska | $121,780 | -6.3% |
| Oregon | $121,660 | -6.4% |
| Wyoming (est.) | $120,881 | -7.0% |
| New York | $120,480 | -7.3% |
| Missouri | $119,110 | -8.4% |
| Ohio | $118,710 | -8.7% |
| Massachusetts | $118,170 | -9.1% |
| North Dakota | $117,040 | -10.0% |
| Kansas | $115,070 | -11.5% |
| Rhode Island | $115,030 | -11.5% |
| Indiana | $114,590 | -11.8% |
| Connecticut | $114,410 | -12.0% |
| Tennessee (est.) | $114,382 | -12.0% |
| Arkansas | $114,140 | -12.2% |
| Mississippi | $113,460 | -12.7% |
| South Dakota (est.) | $113,083 | -13.0% |
| Florida | $113,080 | -13.0% |
| Georgia | $112,180 | -13.7% |
| Iowa | $112,070 | -13.8% |
| Nebraska | $107,760 | -17.1% |
| South Carolina | $106,920 | -17.7% |
| Michigan | $105,570 | -18.8% |
| Wisconsin | $98,440 | -24.3% |
| Utah | $96,460 | -25.8% |
| New Hampshire | $90,810 | -30.1% |
What Factors Affect Chemical Engineers Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for Chemical Engineers is influenced by geographic location, years of experience, employer type, and educational background. Location alone is a large factor: New Mexico pays an average of $147,420, while New Hampshire pays $90,810 — a gap of $56,610 per year.
The middle half of Chemical Engineers earn between $97,820 and $157,190 per year. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $79,420, while the top 10% earn more than $182,880.
These figures are the wages employers report to BLS: base pay plus commissions, production bonuses and tips. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, year-end bonuses, benefits and self-employed workers, so total compensation can be higher than the numbers shown.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
Compare with Similar Jobs
Related career salary benchmarks
- Mechanical Engineers $113,610/yr United States 12.6% vs this role
- Civil Engineers $108,670/yr United States 16.4% vs this role
- Electrical Engineers $125,100/yr United States 3.8% vs this role
- Industrial Engineers $109,900/yr United States 15.4% vs this role
- Aerospace Engineers $142,060/yr United States +9.3% vs this role
- Environmental Engineers $112,910/yr United States 13.1% vs this role
- Registered Nurses $101,420/yr United States 22.0% vs this role
- Nurse Practitioners $137,300/yr United States +5.6% vs this role
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for Chemical Engineers?
The average salary for Chemical Engineers in the United States is $129,980 per year, with a median of $125,040.
What is the starting salary for Chemical Engineers?
Entry-level Chemical Engineers typically earn between $79,420 and $97,820 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays Chemical Engineers the most?
New Mexico pays Chemical Engineers the most at $147,420 per year on average, followed by Texas ($144,350) and Louisiana ($135,190).
How much do Chemical Engineers make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $129,980, Chemical Engineers earn approximately $62.49 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is Chemical Engineers a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 21,070 Chemical Engineers jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $129,980 and a median of $125,040 (OEWS May 2025). This site does not publish job-growth projections; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers the outlook for each occupation.
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