Chemical Engineers salary
Chemical Engineers earn a median of $125,040 a year ($60.12/hr) in the U.S. – from $73,250 in New Hampshire to $158,190 in New Mexico. Enter your pay below to see how you compare.
Median pay, United States$60.12/hr · $125,040 a year
Pay range
90% earn more$79,420$38.19/hr
75% earn more$97,820$47.03/hr
half earn more, half less$125,040$60.12/hr
25% earn more$157,190$75.57/hr
top 10% earn more$182,880$87.92/hr
pulled up by top earners$129,980$62.49/hr
How does my pay compare?
Enter your pay to see where you stand among chemical engineers. Nothing you type leaves your device.
Pay by state
States ranked by median annual wage for chemical engineers. Tap a state for its minimum wage.
160 jobs · $76.05/hr$158,190
790 jobs · $65.57/hr$136,380
600 jobs · $64.92/hr$135,030
730 jobs · $64.81/hr$134,800
370 jobs · $64.27/hr$133,670
2,610 jobs · $63.82/hr$132,750
160 jobs · $62.12/hr$129,210
540 jobs · $62.05/hr$129,060
650 jobs · $61.68/hr$128,290
110 jobs · $61.44/hr$127,790
80 jobs · $61.29/hr$127,490
500 jobs · $61.15/hr$127,190
440 jobs · $60.94/hr$126,760
720 jobs · $60.48/hr$125,800
520 jobs · $58.44/hr$121,560
1,460 jobs · $56.73/hr$118,000
40 jobs · $56.54/hr$117,590
380 jobs · $56.45/hr$117,410
190 jobs · $56.33/hr$117,170
810 jobs · $56.23/hr$116,970
140 jobs · $56.23/hr$116,950
80 jobs · $55.48/hr$115,400
720 jobs · $54.41/hr$113,160
50 jobs · $53.65/hr$111,590
1,030 jobs · $53.46/hr$111,200
230 jobs · $52.41/hr$109,000
210 jobs · $51.77/hr$107,670
140 jobs · $51.32/hr$106,740
150 jobs · $51.32/hr$106,740
jobs n/a · $51.00/hr$106,080
290 jobs · $50.61/hr$105,270
330 jobs · $49.94/hr$103,880
670 jobs · $49.63/hr$103,230
320 jobs · $49.19/hr$102,320
410 jobs · $49.17/hr$102,270
280 jobs · $49.05/hr$102,020
390 jobs · $48.83/hr$101,570
130 jobs · $47.27/hr$98,310
110 jobs · $46.95/hr$97,660
jobs n/a · $41.11/hr$85,520
40 jobs · $35.22/hr$73,250
No wage estimate published for: Arizona, California, Nevada, Tennessee.
Related jobs
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), SOC code 17-2041. Wages exclude the self-employed. All jobs · Minimum wage by state
Questions & answers
How much do chemical engineers make?
The median wage for chemical engineers in the U.S. was $60.12 an hour or $125,040 a year in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $97,820 and $157,190 a year.
Which state pays chemical engineers the most?
New Mexico has the highest median wage for chemical engineers: $158,190 a year. The lowest published median is in New Hampshire at $73,250. Living costs also differ a lot between states.
How many chemical engineers are there?
BLS estimates 21,070 chemical engineers were employed in the U.S. in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
What is the difference between median and average pay?
The median is the middle wage: half of workers earn more and half earn less. The average (mean) adds everyone up and divides, so a few very high earners pull it up. The median is usually the better guide to typical pay.
What does the 10th or 90th percentile mean?
The 10th percentile is the wage that only 10% of workers earn less than – often entry-level pay. The 90th percentile is the wage that only 10% earn more than – usually the most experienced or highest-paid workers.