How much does a chemical engineer make?
Median yearly pay in the United States: half earn more and half earn less. That is $60.12 an hour or $10,420 a month.
- Hourly
- $60.12
- Average (mean)
- $130,000
- Jobs
- 21,070
| Percentile | Yearly | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $79,420 | $38.18 | |
| 25th | $97,820 | $47.03 | |
| Median | $125,000 | $60.12 | |
| 75th | $157,200 | $75.57 | |
| 90th | $182,900 | $87.92 |
By state
Median yearly pay.
| New Mexico | $158,200 |
| Virginia | $136,400 |
| Alabama | $135,000 |
| Louisiana | $134,800 |
| Delaware | $133,700 |
| Texas | $132,800 |
| West Virginia | $129,200 |
| New York | $129,100 |
| Washington | $128,300 |
| Oklahoma | $127,800 |
| Montana | $127,500 |
| Maryland | $127,200 |
| New Jersey | $126,800 |
| Colorado | $125,800 |
| Illinois | $121,600 |
| Massachusetts | $118,000 |
| Iowa | $117,600 |
| North Carolina | $117,400 |
| Kentucky | $117,200 |
| Pennsylvania | $117,000 |
| Oregon | $117,000 |
| North Dakota | $115,400 |
| Indiana | $113,200 |
| Rhode Island | $111,600 |
| Ohio | $111,200 |
| Florida | $109,000 |
| Minnesota | $107,700 |
| Idaho | $106,700 |
| Mississippi | $106,700 |
| Alaska | $106,100 |
| Arkansas | $105,300 |
| Georgia | $103,900 |
| Michigan | $103,200 |
| Missouri | $102,300 |
| Connecticut | $102,300 |
| Kansas | $102,000 |
| South Carolina | $101,600 |
| Nebraska | $98,310 |
| Wisconsin | $97,660 |
| Utah | $85,520 |
| New Hampshire | $73,250 |
Highest paying cities
Metro areas, median yearly pay.
| Albuquerque, NM | $163,400 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $152,300 |
| Fort Collins, CO | $139,200 |
| Houston, TX | $138,100 |
| Mobile, AL | $137,200 |
| New Orleans, LA | $136,900 |
| Lake Charles, LA | $136,800 |
| Trenton, NJ | $135,100 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | $134,800 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $134,200 |
| Rochester, NY | $133,700 |
| St. Louis, MO | $133,500 |
| Washington, DC | $132,800 |
| Toledo, OH | $132,800 |
| Portland, OR | $131,700 |
In other countries
Chemical Engineer belongs to the international group "Chemical engineers".
Compare pay in 140 countriesSimilar jobs
- Aerospace Engineer$135,000
- Agricultural Engineer$98,590
- Bioengineer and Biomedical Engineer$109,400
- Civil Engineer$100,800
- Computer Hardware Engineer$161,700
- Electrical Engineer$120,600
- Electronics Engineer$130,200
- Environmental Engineer$107,100
Frequently asked questions
How much does a chemical engineer make an hour?
The median hourly pay is $60.12 ($125,000 a year).
How much does a chemical engineer make a month?
About $10,420 a month before tax, based on a median of $125,000 a year.
How much does a chemical engineer make starting out?
The lowest-paid 10% make $79,420 or less a year ($38.18 an hour); the top 10% make $182,900 or more.
Which state pays chemical engineers the most?
New Mexico, with a median of $158,200 a year, followed by Virginia ($136,400) and Alabama ($135,000).
Which city pays chemical engineers the most?
Albuquerque, NM, with a median of $163,400 a year.
How many chemical engineers are there in the United States?
About 21,070 people work as chemical engineers.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS): pay in May 2025, published by BLS in 2026. Hourly pay is the yearly figure divided by 2,080 hours.