Fresher
10th to 25th percentile
From
$66,810
To
$90,970
Use this for early-career offers or roles with limited paid experience.
Median annual salary
$122,930
BLS OEWS 2025
25th percentile
$90,970
Lower market anchor
75th percentile
$158,090
Upper market anchor
Mean annual salary
$125,330
Average published wage
Salary Explorer
Pick a work area, role, location, and experience band to compare salary ranges.
Selected estimate
Intermediate range for Chemical Engineer in USA
$90,970 to $158,090
This is the 25th to 75th percentile. It uses salary percentiles, not a fixed years-of-experience rule.
Salary Range by Experience
These bands translate salary percentiles into practical fresher, intermediate, and senior salary ranges. They are not fixed years-of-experience rules.
Median salary
$122,930
BLS
to
Intermediate
25th to 75th percentile
From
$90,970
To
$158,090
Use this for candidates with proven role skills and solid delivery history.
Senior
75th to 90th percentile
From
$158,090
To
$189,950
Use this for senior candidates, scarce skills, or higher-paying employers.
Fresher salary answer
Freshers and entry-level candidates can compare chemical engineer offers in United States against $66,810 to $90,970.
Intermediate salary answer
Intermediate candidates can compare chemical engineer offers in United States against $90,970 to $158,090.
Senior salary answer
Senior candidates can compare chemical engineer offers in United States against $158,090 to $189,950.
How USA Salaries Compare With Major Cities for This Role
USA is the national BLS estimate. The other rows are BLS metro areas for Engineers, All Other, so candidates can compare national pay with city hiring markets.
Mean annual salary
San Francisco
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$162,570
Washington DC
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
$145,090
Seattle
Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA
$141,870
New York
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA
$138,950
Boston
Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH
$137,480
Denver
Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO
$134,050
Los Angeles
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$125,830
USA
United States estimate
$125,330
Austin
Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX
$120,200
Chicago
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
$118,990
How Chemical Engineer Salaries Compare With Other Roles
This chart compares chemical engineer pay in USA with other roles available in the salary directory. Each row uses BLS OEWS min, avg, and top salary data.
Mean annual salary
Physician
Physicians, All Other, SOC 29-1229
$262,040
Psychiatrist
Physicians, All Other, SOC 29-1229
$262,040
Surgeon
Physicians, All Other, SOC 29-1229
$262,040
CIO
Computer and Information Systems Managers, SOC 11-3021
$192,160
CTO
Computer and Information Systems Managers, SOC 11-3021
$192,160
Engineering Manager
Computer and Information Systems Managers, SOC 11-3021
$192,160
IT Manager
Computer and Information Systems Managers, SOC 11-3021
$192,160
VP of Engineering
Computer and Information Systems Managers, SOC 11-3021
$192,160
Dentist
Dentists, General, SOC 29-1021
$191,350
Chemical Engineer
Engineers, All Other, SOC 17-2199
$125,330
Salary Snapshot
The median annual salary for chemical engineers in United States is $122,930. The middle market range runs from $90,970 at the 25th percentile to $158,090 at the 75th percentile. The wider salary range runs from $66,810to $189,950.
| Measure | Value | How to read it |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $66,810 | Lower published wage point |
| 25th percentile | $90,970 | Common lower market anchor |
| Median | $122,930 | Middle of the BLS wage range |
| 75th percentile | $158,090 | Upper market anchor |
| 90th percentile | $189,950 | High published wage point |
Source Notes
This page maps Chemical Engineer to BLS occupation Engineers, All Other, SOC 17-2199. The wage data is annual USD salary from BLS OEWS 2025. It does not include equity, signing bonus, bonus targets, benefits value, or self-employed income.
This page uses the BLS OEWS occupation Engineers, All Other, SOC 17-2199, as the public wage source for Chemical Engineer.
- BLS area
- United States
- Employment estimate
- 154,070
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the median chemical engineer salary in United States?
The median annual salary for chemical engineers in United States is $122,930, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data for Engineers, All Other.
How much can fresher chemical engineer candidates expect in United States?
Freshers and entry-level candidates can use the 10th to 25th percentile range as a guide. For chemical engineers in United States, that range is $66,810 to $90,970. It is a percentile band, not a fixed years-of-experience rule.
What is the intermediate chemical engineer salary range in United States?
Intermediate candidates can compare offers against the 25th to 75th percentile range. For chemical engineers in United States, that range is $90,970 to $158,090.
What do senior chemical engineer candidates earn in United States?
Senior candidates can use the 75th to 90th percentile range for stronger skill depth, senior scope, or higher-paying employers. For chemical engineers in United States, that range is $158,090 to $189,950.
Does this salary data include bonuses or equity?
No. BLS OEWS wage estimates cover wages and salaries. They do not fully capture equity, signing bonuses, annual bonus targets, benefits value, or contractor rates.
How should I use these salary percentiles?
Use percentiles as market anchors. The 10th to 25th percentile can fit fresher or lower-paid roles, the median is the midpoint, and the 75th to 90th percentile can fit stronger experience, scarce skills, or higher-paying employers.
Why does this page use Engineers, All Other instead of only Chemical Engineer?
BLS publishes wages by standard occupation. This page maps Chemical Engineer to Engineers, All Other, SOC 17-2199, so the numbers come from a public wage series instead of a private survey.
How fresh is this USA salary data?
The snapshot uses BLS OEWS 2025, generated from public BLS series. Refresh the snapshot when BLS publishes a newer annual release.
Written by Adithyan RK
Published on: 31 May 2026|Last updated: 20 Jul 2026
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