SOC 17-2041 · Architecture and Engineering Occupations
Chemical Engineers wages by metro
National median annual wage
$125,040
- 10th percentile
- $79,420
- 25th percentile
- $97,820
- Median
- $125,040
- 75th percentile
- $157,190
- 90th percentile
- $182,880
- Mean
- $129,980
Annual wage from the May 2025 OEWS estimates.
National employment in May 2025: 21,070.
That median is 145.3% higher than the all-occupations national median of $50,980.
The metro and state figures below are the same May 2025 release. A blank wage means BLS did not publish it. See when a wage is not published.
Highest published medians
| Occupation | Employment | 10th | Median | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albuquerque, NM | 80 | $70,100 | $163,380 | $205,360 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | 110 | $89,940 | $152,290 | $174,940 |
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | 40 | $55,610 | $139,220 | $165,650 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 1,510 | $99,890 | $138,120 | $217,260 |
| Mobile, AL | 150 | $87,660 | $137,170 | $171,790 |
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | 190 | $90,620 | $136,870 | $178,670 |
| Lake Charles, LA | 100 | $95,280 | $136,810 | $177,790 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | 40 | $81,070 | $135,110 | $234,060 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | 360 | $75,500 | $134,800 | $177,530 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 320 | $81,030 | $134,210 | $202,690 |
| Rochester, NY | Not available | $90,590 | $133,740 | $133,740 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | 110 | $90,090 | $133,450 | $198,140 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 640 | $93,250 | $132,820 | $185,840 |
| Toledo, OH | 70 | $98,240 | $132,760 | $174,760 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 70 | $92,870 | $131,690 | $169,770 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 130 | $97,080 | $130,520 | $226,120 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | 320 | $100,370 | $130,030 | $205,000 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | 140 | $96,130 | $129,850 | $193,890 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | 60 | $92,500 | $129,790 | $219,960 |
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC | 50 | $84,130 | $129,070 | $173,360 |
Where employment is largest
| Occupation | Employment | 10th | Median | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 1,510 | $99,890 | $138,120 | $217,260 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 910 | $67,810 | $109,460 | $176,120 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 790 | $79,940 | $127,770 | $176,650 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 670 | Not available | Not available | Not available |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 640 | $93,250 | $132,820 | $185,840 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 620 | Not available | Not available | Not available |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 510 | $81,680 | $126,830 | $170,460 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 410 | $79,600 | $128,110 | $196,180 |
| Kansas City, MO-KS | 380 | $84,300 | $102,320 | $159,770 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 370 | $78,700 | $110,760 | $179,020 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | 360 | $75,500 | $134,800 | $177,530 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | 320 | $100,370 | $130,030 | $205,000 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 320 | $81,030 | $134,210 | $202,690 |
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | 300 | $66,360 | $107,610 | $160,290 |
| Worcester, MA | 260 | $75,700 | $104,060 | $164,820 |
| Cleveland, OH | 240 | $77,820 | $108,350 | $155,310 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 230 | $66,030 | $103,520 | $164,590 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 230 | $84,680 | $125,200 | $179,230 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 220 | $64,460 | $104,230 | $151,110 |
| Boulder, CO | 190 | $81,780 | $125,800 | $195,190 |
States and territories
| Occupation | Employment | 10th | Median | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Mexico | 160 | $76,540 | $158,190 | $205,360 |
| Virginia | 790 | $92,540 | $136,380 | $176,950 |
| Alabama | 600 | $77,750 | $135,030 | $164,700 |
| Louisiana | 730 | $75,500 | $134,800 | $177,790 |
| Delaware | 370 | $86,810 | $133,670 | $176,650 |
| Texas | 2,610 | $86,920 | $132,750 | $210,460 |
| West Virginia | 160 | $90,660 | $129,210 | $181,340 |
| New York | 540 | $81,520 | $129,060 | $146,180 |
| Washington | 650 | $94,160 | $128,290 | $185,360 |
| Oklahoma | 110 | $88,610 | $127,790 | $189,870 |
| Montana | 80 | $88,640 | $127,490 | $165,230 |
| Maryland | 500 | $68,670 | $127,190 | $185,220 |
| New Jersey | 440 | $81,040 | $126,760 | $185,190 |
| Colorado | 720 | $80,130 | $125,800 | $188,640 |
| Illinois | 520 | $79,120 | $121,560 | $176,110 |
| Massachusetts | 1,460 | $67,810 | $118,000 | $172,170 |
| Iowa | 40 | $78,610 | $117,590 | $134,030 |
| North Carolina | 380 | $81,020 | $117,410 | $168,610 |
| Kentucky | 190 | $89,040 | $117,170 | $161,500 |
| Pennsylvania | 810 | $79,940 | $116,970 | $177,510 |
| Oregon | 140 | $83,080 | $116,950 | $166,610 |
| North Dakota | 80 | $45,760 | $115,400 | $162,560 |
| Indiana | 720 | $89,990 | $113,160 | $135,940 |
| Rhode Island | 50 | $70,670 | $111,590 | $152,750 |
| Ohio | 1,030 | $76,940 | $111,200 | $169,600 |
| Florida | 230 | $73,180 | $109,000 | $160,340 |
| Minnesota | 210 | $60,320 | $107,670 | $269,800 |
| Idaho | 140 | $97,150 | $106,740 | $174,970 |
| Mississippi | 150 | $81,990 | $106,740 | $149,430 |
| Alaska | Not available | $106,080 | $106,080 | $142,350 |
| Arkansas | 290 | $80,480 | $105,270 | $159,150 |
| Georgia | 330 | $66,030 | $103,880 | $164,590 |
| Michigan | 670 | $63,930 | $103,230 | $155,420 |
| Missouri | 320 | $84,300 | $102,320 | $166,270 |
| Connecticut | 410 | $86,190 | $102,270 | $165,210 |
| Kansas | 280 | $73,730 | $102,020 | $161,350 |
| South Carolina | 390 | $77,140 | $101,570 | $146,300 |
| Nebraska | 130 | $60,840 | $98,310 | $156,890 |
| Wisconsin | 110 | $60,740 | $97,660 | $131,410 |
| Utah | Not available | $66,620 | $85,520 | $152,760 |
| New Hampshire | 40 | $53,930 | $73,250 | $146,170 |
| Arizona | 80 | Not available | Not available | Not available |
| California | 2,190 | Not available | Not available | Not available |
| Nevada | 110 | Not available | Not available | Not available |
| Tennessee | 480 | Not available | Not available | Not available |
Other architecture and engineering occupations
- Civil Engineers
- Industrial Engineers
- Mechanical Engineers
- Electrical Engineers
- Engineers, All Other
- Architects, Except Landscape and Naval
- Architectural and Civil Drafters
- Electronics Engineers, Except Computer
Questions this page answers
What is the national median wage for Chemical Engineers?
In the May 2025 OEWS estimates, the national median annual wage for Chemical Engineers is $125,040. Employment is 21,070.
How does Chemical Engineers pay compare with all occupations?
The national median for Chemical Engineers is 145.3% higher than the all-occupations median of $50,980.
Which metro has the highest published median for Chemical Engineers?
Among metros with a published annual median in the May 2025 tables, Albuquerque, NM is highest on this page's list at $163,380.