Chemical Engineers
SOC 17-2041 • View wages by state
The median annual wage for Chemical Engineers is $112,100, based on BLS OEWS 2023 data. The mean annual wage is $122,910, and an estimated 21,140 workers are employed in this occupation nationally. Between 2020 and 2023, pay rose +3.3% while consumer prices rose 17.7% — a real change of -12.3% (pay did not keep up with inflation). BLS projects employment will grow 2.6% between 2024 and 2034.
Wage Trend & Inflation Adjustment
How the national median wage for Chemical Engineers has moved across BLS OEWS release years, and what each year's wage is worth in 2023 dollars after adjusting for CPI inflation. "Real" change strips out inflation — the truest measure of whether pay is actually rising.
| Year | Median (nominal) | In 2023 $ (real) | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $112,100 | $112,100 | 21,140 |
| 2022 | $106,260 | $110,634 | 20,380 |
| 2021 | $105,550 | $118,690 | 24,180 |
| 2020 | $108,540 | $127,786 | 25,770 |
Nominal change
+3.3%
Inflation (CPI)
+17.7%
Real change
-12.3%
Job Outlook (2024–2034 BLS projection)
The BLS Employment Projections program estimates how each occupation's employment will change over the coming decade, and how many job openings to expect each year (from both growth and the need to replace workers who leave).
Projected Growth
+2.6%
About average
Employment 2024
21,600
Projected 2034
22,100
Annual Openings
1,100
Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
Highest-Paying Areas (2023)
Where Chemical Engineers earn the most, and how each area's median compares to the national median of $112,100. A positive premium means the area pays above the national rate.
| Area | Median Annual | vs National | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | $153,350 | +36.8% | 3,280 |
| New Mexico | $139,130 | +24.1% | 90 |
| Arizona | $133,550 | +19.1% | 90 |
| Washington | $131,840 | +17.6% | 660 |
| West Virginia | $130,640 | +16.5% | 200 |
| Delaware | $130,280 | +16.2% | 410 |
| Montana | $128,680 | +14.8% | 60 |
| Oklahoma | $127,930 | +14.1% | 220 |
| Louisiana | $123,420 | +10.1% | 760 |
| Maryland | $122,450 | +9.2% | 550 |
Wage Distribution (National, 2023)
10th, 25th, 50th (median), 75th, and 90th percentile annual wages from BLS OEWS — the full spread, not just an average.
10th Pct
$75,650
25th Pct
$91,630
Median
$112,100
75th Pct
$142,810
90th Pct
$176,420
H-1B Employer Filings
Employer-certified wages from DOL H-1B LCA filings — competitive market benchmark, not approved visas.
| Employer | State | Filings | Median Wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| ModernaTX, Inc. | MA | 10 | $138,682 |
| Battelle Memorial Institute | WA | 5 | $91,000 |
| Massachusetts Institute of Technology | MA | 4 | $103,500 |
| Micron Technology, Inc. | ID | 4 | $112,000 |
| University of Wisconsin System | WI | 4 | $60,000 |
| Applied Materials, Inc. | CA | 4 | $144,250 |
| Catalent Pharma Solutions | IN | 3 | $77,826 |
| PELICAN ENERGY CONSULTANTS, LLC | LA | 3 | $114,400 |
| The Trustees of Princeton University | NJ | 3 | $70,000 |
| Solvay Specialty Polymers USA, LLC | GA | 2 | $130,042 |
| Illumina, Inc. | CA | 2 | $124,491 |
| Apple Inc. | CA | 2 | $173,600 |
| Regents of the University of California at Riverside | CA | 2 | $64,480 |
| BP America Inc. | NY | 2 | $101,943 |
| Cummins Inc. | IN | 2 | $105,000 |
| Bristol-Myers Squibb Company | NJ | 2 | $147,000 |
| Bayer CropScience LP | MO | 2 | $164,013 |
| UT-BATTELLE, LLC (OAK RIDGE NATIONAL LABORATORY) | TN | 2 | $110,496 |
| Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated | MA | 2 | $150,390 |
| Eli Lilly and Company | IN | 2 | $98,437 |
Source: DOL Office of Foreign Labor Certification, H-1B LCA data.
Related Occupations in Architecture & Engineering
Other occupations in the same SOC major group, ranked by national median wage.
All Architecture & Engineering occupations →