Chemical Engineers Salary
Salary data across 60 metro areas in the US & CanadaUSD & CAD
Search Jobs on IndeedAvg Median Salary
$112,200
Highest Paying City
San Jose
$160,000
Cities Tracked
60
What Do Chemical Engineers Do?
Chemical Engineers apply scientific and mathematical principles to design, develop, and evaluate systems, structures, and processes. Their technical expertise helps solve practical problems and bring innovative designs to life.
Work environments vary from offices and laboratories to construction sites and manufacturing plants. Some positions require travel to project sites or client locations.
Key Skills for Chemical Engineers
Education Requirements
Bachelor's degree in engineering, architecture, or a related technical field
A bachelor's degree in engineering or a related field is required. Many positions also require professional licensure (PE license for engineers, architectural license for architects). A master's degree can lead to advanced positions.
Career Outlook
Employment is expected to grow about as fast as average, with demand for engineers and architects driven by infrastructure needs, technology development, and environmental sustainability initiatives.
How to Increase Your Chemical Engineers Salary
- 1.Specialize in high-demand areas like renewable energy or sustainable design
- 2.Pursue a master's degree or professional certifications
- 3.Develop project management skills alongside technical expertise
- 4.Stay current with building codes, regulations, and industry standards
- 5.Build experience with emerging technologies like 3D printing and BIM
Chemical Engineers Salary by City
| City | Median | Average | Range (10th-90th) | Currency | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose, CA | $160,000 | $173,000 | $80,000 - $220,000 | USD | Apply |
| San Francisco, CA | $157,000 | $167,000 | $78,000 - $216,000 | USD | Apply |
| Seattle, WA | $150,000 | $157,000 | $82,000 - $201,000 | USD | Apply |
| New York, NY | $139,000 | $151,000 | $76,000 - $186,000 | USD | Apply |
| Washington DC, DC | $138,000 | $148,000 | $76,000 - $185,000 | USD | Apply |
| Boston, MA | $138,000 | $147,000 | $76,000 - $185,000 | USD | Apply |
| Los Angeles, CA | $132,000 | $140,000 | $73,000 - $177,000 | USD | Apply |
| San Diego, CA | $129,000 | $134,000 | $71,000 - $173,000 | USD | Apply |
| Denver, CO | $128,000 | $139,000 | $70,000 - $171,000 | USD | Apply |
| Honolulu, HI | $128,000 | $142,000 | $70,000 - $171,000 | USD | Apply |
| Austin, TX | $126,000 | $131,000 | $69,000 - $169,000 | USD | Apply |
| Portland, OR | $125,000 | $130,000 | $69,000 - $167,000 | USD | Apply |
| Sacramento, CA | $125,000 | $137,000 | $69,000 - $167,000 | USD | Apply |
| Philadelphia, PA | $124,000 | $130,000 | $68,000 - $166,000 | USD | Apply |
| Baltimore, MD | $124,000 | $131,000 | $68,000 - $166,000 | USD | Apply |
| Anchorage, AK | $124,000 | $133,000 | $68,000 - $166,000 | USD | Apply |
| Dallas, TX | $118,000 | $124,000 | $65,000 - $158,000 | USD | Apply |
| Minneapolis, MN | $117,000 | $130,000 | $64,000 - $156,000 | USD | Apply |
| Chicago, IL | $116,000 | $125,000 | $64,000 - $155,000 | USD | Apply |
| Hartford, CT | $116,000 | $119,000 | $64,000 - $155,000 | USD | Apply |
| Houston, TX | $115,000 | $127,000 | $63,000 - $154,000 | USD | Apply |
| Atlanta, GA | $113,000 | $118,000 | $62,000 - $151,000 | USD | Apply |
| Phoenix, AZ | $113,000 | $126,000 | $62,000 - $151,000 | USD | Apply |
| Detroit, MI | $113,000 | $120,000 | $62,000 - $151,000 | USD | Apply |
| Raleigh, NC | $112,000 | $118,000 | $62,000 - $150,000 | USD | Apply |
| Kansas City, MO | $111,000 | $115,000 | $61,000 - $148,000 | USD | Apply |
| Charlotte, NC | $110,000 | $114,000 | $61,000 - $147,000 | USD | Apply |
| Salt Lake City, UT | $110,000 | $117,000 | $61,000 - $147,000 | USD | Apply |
| Nashville, TN | $109,000 | $120,000 | $60,000 - $146,000 | USD | Apply |
| Las Vegas, NV | $109,000 | $118,000 | $60,000 - $146,000 | USD | Apply |
| Indianapolis, IN | $109,000 | $115,000 | $60,000 - $146,000 | USD | Apply |
| Milwaukee, WI | $109,000 | $113,000 | $60,000 - $146,000 | USD | Apply |
| Columbus, OH | $108,000 | $113,000 | $59,000 - $144,000 | USD | Apply |
| Miami, FL | $107,000 | $116,000 | $59,000 - $143,000 | USD | Apply |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $107,000 | $113,000 | $59,000 - $143,000 | USD | Apply |
| Richmond, VA | $107,000 | $112,000 | $59,000 - $143,000 | USD | Apply |
| Cincinnati, OH | $106,000 | $112,000 | $58,000 - $142,000 | USD | Apply |
| Jacksonville, FL | $105,000 | $112,000 | $58,000 - $140,000 | USD | Apply |
| Louisville, KY | $105,000 | $117,000 | $58,000 - $140,000 | USD | Apply |
| Toronto, ON | $105,000 | $111,000 | $58,000 - $140,000 | CAD | Apply |
| Orlando, FL | $104,000 | $114,000 | $57,000 - $139,000 | USD | Apply |
| Memphis, TN | $104,000 | $116,000 | $57,000 - $139,000 | USD | Apply |
| Tampa, FL | $103,000 | $110,000 | $57,000 - $138,000 | USD | Apply |
| San Antonio, TX | $103,000 | $108,000 | $57,000 - $138,000 | USD | Apply |
| St. Louis, MO | $103,000 | $115,000 | $57,000 - $138,000 | USD | Apply |
| Cleveland, OH | $103,000 | $109,000 | $57,000 - $138,000 | USD | Apply |
| Buffalo, NY | $103,000 | $109,000 | $57,000 - $138,000 | USD | Apply |
| Oklahoma City, OK | $102,000 | $114,000 | $56,000 - $136,000 | USD | Apply |
| New Orleans, LA | $102,000 | $114,000 | $56,000 - $136,000 | USD | Apply |
| Tucson, AZ | $100,000 | $110,000 | $60,000 - $130,000 | USD | Apply |
| Vancouver, BC | $100,000 | $105,000 | $60,000 - $130,000 | CAD | Apply |
| Birmingham, AL | $99,000 | $102,000 | $59,000 - $129,000 | USD | Apply |
| Ottawa, ON | $99,000 | $101,000 | $59,000 - $129,000 | CAD | Apply |
| Calgary, AB | $97,000 | $106,000 | $58,000 - $126,000 | CAD | Apply |
| Edmonton, AB | $93,000 | $99,000 | $56,000 - $121,000 | CAD | Apply |
| Hamilton, ON | $88,000 | $97,000 | $53,000 - $114,000 | CAD | Apply |
| Montreal, QC | $87,000 | $97,000 | $52,000 - $113,000 | CAD | Apply |
| Quebec City, QC | $83,000 | $91,000 | $50,000 - $108,000 | CAD | Apply |
| Winnipeg, MB | $81,000 | $89,000 | $49,000 - $105,000 | CAD | Apply |
| Halifax, NS | $81,000 | $91,000 | $49,000 - $105,000 | CAD | Apply |