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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2022

17-2041 Chemical Engineers

Design chemical plant equipment and devise processes for manufacturing chemicals and products, such as gasoline, synthetic rubber, plastics, detergents, cement, paper, and pulp, by applying principles and technology of chemistry, physics, and engineering.


National estimates for Chemical Engineers
Industry profile for Chemical Engineers
Geographic profile for Chemical Engineers

National estimates for Chemical Engineers:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for Chemical Engineers:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
20,380 3.7 % $ 56.64 $ 117,820 1.4 %

Percentile wage estimates for Chemical Engineers:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $ 34.85 $ 40.71 $ 51.09 $ 64.66 $ 82.41
Annual Wage (2) $ 72,490 $ 84,670 $ 106,260 $ 134,490 $ 171,400


Industry profile for Chemical Engineers:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for Chemical Engineers are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in Chemical Engineers, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in Chemical Engineers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) 5,500 1.53 $ 57.38 $ 119,350
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 2,930 0.18 $ 62.62 $ 130,250
Scientific Research and Development Services 2,550 0.29 $ 58.17 $ 120,990
Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing 1,170 0.35 $ 47.76 $ 99,350
Management of Companies and Enterprises 1,160 0.04 $ 63.51 $ 132,110

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in Chemical Engineers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) 5,500 1.53 $ 57.38 $ 119,350
Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing 850 0.82 $ 66.75 $ 138,830
Pipeline Transportation of Crude Oil 70 0.65 $ 76.83 $ 159,800
Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing 1,170 0.35 $ 47.76 $ 99,350
Scientific Research and Development Services 2,550 0.29 $ 58.17 $ 120,990

Top paying industries for Chemical Engineers:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Oil and Gas Extraction 130 0.13 $ 79.51 $ 165,370
Pipeline Transportation of Crude Oil 70 0.65 $ 76.83 $ 159,800
Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4241, 4247, and 4249 only) 30 0.01 $ 73.70 $ 153,290
Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing 850 0.82 $ 66.75 $ 138,830
Waste Treatment and Disposal 70 0.07 $ 65.65 $ 136,550


Geographic profile for Chemical Engineers:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for Chemical Engineers are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in Chemical Engineers, see the Create Customized Tables function.



Map of employment of chemical engineers by state, May 2022


States with the highest employment level in Chemical Engineers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Texas 3,540 0.27 1.98 $ 71.23 $ 148,150
Pennsylvania 1,570 0.27 1.97 $ 52.75 $ 109,720
Ohio 990 0.18 1.34 $ 49.12 $ 102,160
California 940 0.05 0.39 $ 56.68 $ 117,900
Michigan 830 0.20 1.42 $ 53.94 $ 112,200


Map of location quotient of chemical engineers by state, May 2022


States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Chemical Engineers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Delaware 470 1.03 7.45 $ 60.07 $ 124,950
Alabama 720 0.36 2.62 $ 52.29 $ 108,770
Louisiana 660 0.36 2.60 $ 64.57 $ 134,310
Texas 3,540 0.27 1.98 $ 71.23 $ 148,150
Pennsylvania 1,570 0.27 1.97 $ 52.75 $ 109,720


Map of annual mean wages of chemical engineers by state, May 2022


Top paying states for Chemical Engineers:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Texas 3,540 0.27 1.98 $ 71.23 $ 148,150
New Mexico 80 0.10 0.70 $ 71.16 $ 148,010
Louisiana 660 0.36 2.60 $ 64.57 $ 134,310
Oklahoma 340 0.21 1.53 $ 62.99 $ 131,020
Maryland 570 0.22 1.58 $ 62.59 $ 130,180



Map of employment of chemical engineers by area, May 2022


Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in Chemical Engineers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 2,180 0.71 5.17 $ 76.29 $ 158,690
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 1,240 0.45 3.25 $ 55.40 $ 115,230
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 830 0.09 0.66 $ 60.59 $ 126,030
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 660 0.24 1.76 $ 54.61 $ 113,590
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 490 0.16 1.17 $ 56.08 $ 116,640
Baton Rouge, LA 470 1.22 8.84 $ 70.00 $ 145,590
Denver-Aurora-Lakewood, CO 400 0.26 1.88 $ 52.66 $ 109,540
Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI 400 0.21 1.54 $ 57.43 $ 119,450
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 370 0.10 0.70 $ 67.79 $ 141,010
Pittsburgh, PA 300 0.28 2.05 $ 56.13 $ 116,740


Map of location quotient of chemical engineers by area, May 2022


Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Chemical Engineers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Kennewick-Richland, WA 260 2.11 15.28 $ 63.02 $ 131,090
Baton Rouge, LA 470 1.22 8.84 $ 70.00 $ 145,590
Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX 180 1.16 8.43 $ 63.28 $ 131,630
Decatur, AL 60 1.12 8.12 $ 58.20 $ 121,060
Huntsville, AL 200 0.83 6.02 $ 55.10 $ 114,600
Boulder, CO 160 0.82 5.96 $ 56.05 $ 116,580
Lima, OH 40 0.82 5.92 $ 53.18 $ 110,620
Mobile, AL 140 0.79 5.76 $ 56.33 $ 117,170
Lake Charles, LA 70 0.75 5.45 $ 44.85 $ 93,280
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 2,180 0.71 5.17 $ 76.29 $ 158,690


Map of annual mean wages of chemical engineers by area, May 2022


Top paying metropolitan areas for Chemical Engineers:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 2,180 0.71 5.17 $ 76.29 $ 158,690
Albuquerque, NM 50 0.14 1.00 $ 70.29 $ 146,210
Baton Rouge, LA 470 1.22 8.84 $ 70.00 $ 145,590
Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD 260 0.20 1.48 $ 68.80 $ 143,090
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 370 0.10 0.70 $ 67.79 $ 141,010
Midland, TX 30 0.31 2.22 $ 64.65 $ 134,480
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA 110 0.10 0.71 $ 64.41 $ 133,980
Corpus Christi, TX 100 0.57 4.16 $ 63.80 $ 132,710
Bridgeport-Stamford-Norwalk, CT (8) (8) (8) $ 63.37 $ 131,800
Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX 180 1.16 8.43 $ 63.28 $ 131,630

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in Chemical Engineers:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
North Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 140 0.50 3.66 (8) (8)
Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 120 0.79 5.73 $ 56.70 $ 117,930
Northwest Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area 80 0.85 6.20 $ 57.22 $ 119,020
Northeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area 70 0.59 4.25 $ 73.62 $ 153,130
North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) 60 0.17 1.27 $ 41.77 $ 86,880

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in Chemical Engineers:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Northwest Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area 80 0.85 6.20 $ 57.22 $ 119,020
Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 120 0.79 5.73 $ 56.70 $ 117,930
Southwest Alabama nonmetropolitan area 50 0.78 5.69 $ 55.90 $ 116,270
Northeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area 70 0.59 4.25 $ 73.62 $ 153,130
North Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 140 0.50 3.66 (8) (8)

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for Chemical Engineers:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Northeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area 70 0.59 4.25 $ 73.62 $ 153,130
West Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 30 0.16 1.18 $ 65.54 $ 136,330
Northwest Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area 80 0.85 6.20 $ 57.22 $ 119,020
Coastal Plains Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 120 0.79 5.73 $ 56.70 $ 117,930
Southwest Alabama nonmetropolitan area 50 0.78 5.69 $ 55.90 $ 116,270


About May 2022 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate—50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OEWS estimates and related information:

May 2022 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2022 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: April 25, 2023