Chemical Engineers Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for chemical engineers is $125,040, or $60.12 per hour. About 21,070 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $158,190 in New Mexico to $73,250 in New Hampshire.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 41 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Mexico | $158,190 | $76.05 | 160 | 1.33 |
| 2 | Virginia | $136,380 | $65.57 | 790 | 1.42 |
| 3 | Alabama | $135,030 | $64.92 | 600 | 2.08 |
| 4 | Louisiana | $134,800 | $64.81 | 730 | 2.80 |
| 5 | Delaware | $133,670 | $64.27 | 370 | 5.59 |
| 6 | Texas | $132,750 | $63.82 | 2,610 | 1.37 |
| 7 | West Virginia | $129,210 | $62.12 | 160 | 1.65 |
| 8 | New York | $129,060 | $62.05 | 540 | 0.41 |
| 9 | Washington | $128,290 | $61.68 | 650 | 1.36 |
| 10 | Oklahoma | $127,790 | $61.44 | 110 | 0.46 |
| 11 | Montana | $127,490 | $61.29 | 80 | 1.16 |
| 12 | Maryland | $127,190 | $61.15 | 500 | 1.35 |
| 13 | New Jersey | $126,760 | $60.94 | 440 | 0.75 |
| 14 | Colorado | $125,800 | $60.48 | 720 | 1.84 |
| 15 | Illinois | $121,560 | $58.44 | 520 | 0.63 |
| 16 | Massachusetts | $118,000 | $56.73 | 1,460 | 2.96 |
| 17 | Iowa | $117,590 | $56.54 | 40 | 0.20 |
| 18 | North Carolina | $117,410 | $56.45 | 380 | 0.56 |
| 19 | Kentucky | $117,170 | $56.33 | 190 | 0.70 |
| 20 | Pennsylvania | $116,970 | $56.23 | 810 | 0.98 |
| 21 | Oregon | $116,950 | $56.23 | 140 | 0.53 |
| 22 | North Dakota | $115,400 | $55.48 | 80 | 1.32 |
| 23 | Indiana | $113,160 | $54.41 | 720 | 1.66 |
| 24 | Rhode Island | $111,590 | $53.65 | 50 | 0.70 |
| 25 | Ohio | $111,200 | $53.46 | 1,030 | 1.37 |
| 26 | Florida | $109,000 | $52.41 | 230 | 0.17 |
| 27 | Minnesota | $107,670 | $51.77 | 210 | 0.54 |
| 28 | Mississippi | $106,740 | $51.32 | 150 | 0.94 |
| 29 | Idaho | $106,740 | $51.32 | 140 | 1.17 |
| 30 | Alaska | $106,080 | $51.00 | — | — |
| 31 | Arkansas | $105,270 | $50.61 | 290 | 1.66 |
| 32 | Georgia | $103,880 | $49.94 | 330 | 0.49 |
| 33 | Michigan | $103,230 | $49.63 | 670 | 1.13 |
| 34 | Missouri | $102,320 | $49.19 | 320 | 0.80 |
| 35 | Connecticut | $102,270 | $49.17 | 410 | 1.80 |
| 36 | Kansas | $102,020 | $49.05 | 280 | 1.44 |
| 37 | South Carolina | $101,570 | $48.83 | 390 | 1.26 |
| 38 | Nebraska | $98,310 | $47.27 | 130 | 0.96 |
| 39 | Wisconsin | $97,660 | $46.95 | 110 | 0.28 |
| 40 | Utah | $85,520 | $41.11 | — | — |
| 41 | New Hampshire | $73,250 | $35.22 | 40 | 0.45 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do chemical engineers make?
The median annual wage for chemical engineers in the United States is $125,040, or $60.12 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $79,420, and the top 10% earn $182,880.
How many chemical engineers are employed in the U.S.?
About 21,070 people work as chemical engineers nationwide.
Which state pays chemical engineers the most?
New Mexico pays the most at a median of $158,190, followed by Virginia ($136,380) and Alabama ($135,030).
Which state pays chemical engineers the least?
New Hampshire has the lowest median at $73,250.
Where are chemical engineers jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is Delaware at 5.59×.