What You Can Do
From gasoline to pet food, chemical engineers are responsible for the development and production of the plastics, paper, dyes, drugs, food and fertilizers that are major components in our modern life. They invent new processes, improve existing ones and design and operate the plants and equipment needed to transform raw feed stocks into useful products, often on a massive scale.
How Much You Could Earn
Chemical engineers typically earn between $60,770 and $158,800 annually, with an average salary of $98,340.*
Earnings over time**
| Years of experience | Median salary |
|---|---|
| fewer than 6 | $85,000 |
| 6 to 10 | $108,500 |
| 11 to 15 | $115,000 |
| 16 to 20 | $146,000 |
| 21 to 25 | $138,312 |
* Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 2016-2017 Occupational Outlook Handbook
**Source: 2017 AIChE Salary Survey
Where You Can Work
- Fuels and petrochemicals; fine chemicals, agricultural products
- Alternative energy & renewable fuel technologies; nuclear energy
- Environmental engineering
- Pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, bioengineering
- Food processing, cosmetics, consumer products
- Plastics, electronic materials, nanotechnology
Degree Requirements
Learn more about degree requirements here.
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