Chemical engineers earn an average annual income of $114,820 in the U.S., according to the Bureau of … [+]
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Chemical engineers are one of the many engineering career paths offered in the United States. Using their background in chemistry, as well as physics, mathematics, and biology, chemical engineers apply their knowledge to the production or use of chemicals, drugs, food, fuel, and a variety of other products. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Outlook Handbook, the employment of chemical engineers is expected to grow by 9% from 2020 to 2030, which is about the same rate of growth as the average for all occupations.
According to the latest data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Occupational Employment Statistics, as of 2020, the average income of chemical engineers is $114,820, more than double the national average for all occupations, $56,310. Depending on where you live, however, the average chemical engineer salary could be higher or lower. In all states, the average chemical engineer salary is significantly better than the national average pay for all other occupations, with the lowest-paying state having an average annual income of $76,920. Below you’ll find the full breakdown below of where chemical engineers’ incomes are the lowest, and where their incomes are the highest.
10 States Where Chemical Engineers Earn the Most Money
The states with the highest chemical engineer salaries are geographically all over the place, though with the notable exception of no West Coast states. Texas offers the best average chemical engineer salary, with an annual average wage of $138,600.
Here’s a list of the top 10 states in order of average incomes for chemical engineers:
10 States Where Chemical Engineers Earn the Least Money
The bottom 10 states where average chemical engineer salaries are lowest show some geographical patterns. Notably, four New England states rank among the lowest-paying states, as do some Rocky Mountain states.
Here’s a list of the bottom 10 states in order of average incomes for chemical engineers:
How Much Chemical Engineers Earn in All 50 States
Here’s a look at average chemical engineer salaries by state. The BLS does not have annual mean wage data available for four states from 2020, the latest year of BLS data, either because there are no chemical engineer jobs or because data wasn’t available.