Chemical Engineer Salary

The chemical engineer salary in the US stands at $72,537 per year. The pay for the same job varies around the world, Canada offering a mean chemical engineer salary of C$64,296 ($50,395), while in Australia the same professionals make AU$63,971 ($48,998) per year.

Chemical engineers working in the United Kingdom earn £33,106 ($43,502) per annum, while those working in Switzerland earn CHF95,320 ($95,415). Professionals with the same job from Norway can expect a median salary of NOK706,889 ($86,475).

Chemical Engineer Salary Influencers

Even though the salary of a chemical engineer varies according to experience, area, industry and a series of other factors, chemical engineer salaries generally revolve around the same numbers. Here we have gathered salary information from SalaryExpert, Payscale, and Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Chemical Engineer Emma Wong from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission at work.

1. Industry

A decisive factor for a chemical engineer starting salary is the industry. Here are a few BLS estimates that will help you get a better idea about different chemical engineering salaries:

• Coal and petroleum products manufacturing – $104,610.
• Engineering services – $103,270.
• Basic chemical manufacturing – $102,100.
• Resin, synthetic rubber, and artificial synthetic fibers and filaments manufacturing – $99,550.
• Research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences – $98,210.

2. Geographical Area

Chemical Engineer Salary	US	Canada	UK	Australia	Switzerland	Norway
Hourly Wage	$25.67	C$29.89	£25.50	AU$30.82	CHF46	NOK340
Annual Wage	$72,537	C$64,296	£33,106	AU$63,971	CHF95,320	NOK706,889

 

Chemical Engineer Salary in the US

There are various states where one can get a great starting salary for chemical engineer in the US. Out of all fifty states, Texas has the highest mean salary for chemical engineer ($122,190). After that, Delaware is a runner up for appealing salary for chemical engineers ($121,130). New Mexico, Louisiana and Alaska are the next three states, with chemical engineering salary estimates of $115,230, $113,840 and $112,570 per year, in that order. Other states with large chemical process engineer salary medians are:

• Arizona – $110,500
• Idaho – $110,220
• California – $107,280
• Maryland – $107,260
• Kansas – $105,340

The Eastern part of the States seems to have the lowest starting salary for chemical engineers, as well as employment rates. A few examples are:

• Mississippi – $85,460
• Michigan – $85,150
• Arkansas – $84,580
• Minnesota – $81,100
• Nebraska – $79,010

Chemical Engineering Salary by State

State	Employment	Annual mean wage ($)
Alabama	510	99,970
Alaska	110	112,570
Arizona	130	110,500
Arkansas	200	84,580
California	2340	107,280
Colorado	600	91,250
Connecticut	340	91,170
Delaware	530	121,130
District of Columbia	90	109,630
Florida	530	96,560
Georgia	430	91,010
Idaho	80	110,220
Illinois	840	99,540
Indiana	700	103,070
Iowa	170	90,570
Kansas	210	105,340
Kentucky	470	87,420
Louisiana	2330	113,840
Maine	130	97,820
Maryland	720	107,260
Massachusetts	920	104,980
Michigan	610	85,150
Minnesota	450	81,100
Mississippi	130	85,460
Missouri	610	90,740
Montana	60	99,030
Nebraska	150	79,010
Nevada	40	101,760
New Hampshire	(8)-	97,600
New Jersey	1370	101,520
New Mexico	80	115,230
New York	1280	94,230
North Carolina	770	86,200
Ohio	1190	86,870
Oklahoma	330	93,570
Oregon	250	91,850
Pennsylvania	1530	97,690
Puerto Rico	60	63,040
South Carolina	440	93,100
Tennessee	560	94,870
Texas	6910	122,190
Utah	300	94,800
Virginia	1180	102,520
Washington	450	99,800
West Virginia	270	101,450
Wisconsin	620	88,660
Wyoming	100	92,040

Source: BLS.gov

Chemical Engineer Salary in Canada

Chemical engineers living in Canada earn between C$47,696 and C$96,980 per year, but with the bonus which can reach C$14,720, the total pay increases significantly. In fact, with added bonuses and profit sharing of as much as C$9,696, chemical engineers can end up with C$102,215 per year.

Chemical Engineer Salary in the UK

Professionals who work in the United Kingdom have a salary starting of £22,602 which can go up to £62,025 depending on the industry and firm. While the hourly rate is at £25.50. However, experience significantly increases yearly earnings, as well as profit sharing which can be of £20,426 each year.

Chemical Engineer Salary in Australia

The chemical engineer salary for Australian workers stands between AU$49,094 and AU$115,560. While the pay per hour stands at AU$30.82. Additionally, yearly bonuses can reach even AU$10,766, making the final pay for chemical engineers as much as AU$117,916 per year.

Chemical Engineer Salary in Switzerland

A chemical engineer who works in Switzerland earns a mean annual wage of CHF95,320, while the hourly pay is CHF46, and the average yearly bonus stands at CHF3,555.

Chemical Engineer Salary in Norway

Norwegian chemical engineers earn a mean salary of NOK706,889 per year, having an hourly rate of NOK340. While the bonus per year is approximately NOK26,367.

3. Experience

The entry level chemical engineer salary is $69,000 per year, while a senior chemical engineer salary with an experience of 10-20 years cashes as much as $102,000, with this salary rising as they advance in their career.

We see a similar trend in pay for the same professionals working in Canada who start from a C$61,000 salary per year to win C$102,000 in their late career, salary that keeps growing once the years pass.

The salary for a chemical engineer in the UK starts from ₤30,000 per year and grows exponentially to reach as much as ₤75,000 after 20 years on the job. The same thing happens down in Australia, where the beginner’s salary is AU$62,000 and gradually rises to AU$120,000 per year for experienced professionals.

In Switzerland an entry-level chemical engineer earns CHF73,396 while a senior makes CHF116,912 per year. The Norwegian newbie gets paid NOK545,822 yearly, while the senior level salary stands at NOK869,432.

Working Hours

One of the potential downsides of being a chemical engineer is represented by the added working hours. In almost all cases, chemical engineers work at least full time. Depending on requirements and troubleshooting situations, chemical engineering professionals might need to work after hours.

While some chemical engineers work in labs, others work in offices. These employees also might have to work out of office, in refineries or industrial plants. Chemical engineers who have work sites outside of the country might need to travel there.

Bonuses & Benefit Packages

The bonus for an US chemical engineer ranges between $104.34 and $14,776 per year. Also, 90% of these professionals get medical insurance, while in Canada only 85% get that, plus a bonus of up to C$14,720 per year.

In the UK the bonus received yearly is between £246.58 and £9,123, while in Australia that is between AU$68.43 and AU$10,766. 44% of UK employees get medical insurance, while in Australia about 25% get it. Same professionals in Switzerland get an average bonus of CHF3,555 per year, while those from Norway get NOK26,367 yearly.

Aside from the salary and bonus, this professional also enjoys perks and other benefits. Furthermore, chemical engineers are known for having access to paid time off. Even though this isn’t a material benefit, a great aspect of chemical engineering is that the professionals in this field rarely get bored. They work actively and do not deal with tedious tasks that would result in a lack of focus or professional satisfaction.

Job Outlook

As the BLS reports, the job outlook for chemical engineers is estimated to grow 8% until 2026. The impressive chemical engineering jobs salary attracts new professionals in the key states and countries mentioned above. This profession has also started recently expanding in other branches, such as:

• alternative energy
• biotechnology
• nanotechnology

For a master’s degree in chemical engineering salary, one needs to complete the 5-year studies involved in the degree. If you want to start preparing for chemical engineer job, you can look into the accredited programs provided by ABET. Also, if you want to get an overview of another type of engineer, we suggest reading about the mechanical engineer salary as well.

Conclusion

Now that you know the starting salary chemical engineer candidates can expect, you can decide if this is the right career for you. Keep in mind that geography, industry, and experience are all decisive factors for the chemical engineer salary. All starting chemical engineers need to have at least a BA in the field, but a masters or PhD will greatly increase the chances for a higher salary.