17
Chemical Engineers is a notable career in the 17 category. This page provides verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0 (2024), helping you compare Chemical Engineers against similar careers and make data-driven decisions.
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| soc | 17-2041 |
| title | Chemical Engineers |
| onet code | 17-2041.00 |
| description | 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. |
| job zone | 4 |
| major group | 17 |
| tot emp | 20,330 |
| a mean | 128,430 |
| a median | 121,860 |
| a pct10 | 78,520 |
| a pct25 | 96,040 |
| a pct75 | 152,290 |
| a pct90 | 182,150 |
| h mean | 61 |
| h median | 58 |
The day-to-day work of a chemical engineers typically centers on monitor and analyze data from processes and experiments. Every task listed below is classified as Core in O*NET — they collectively define the role. Task descriptions below are quoted from the U.S. Department of Labor's O*NET 29.0 occupation profile.
Workers in this occupation rely most on Science, Complex Problem Solving, and Critical Thinking. Across the top 10 skills, the average O*NET importance score is 3.90 out of 5 — highly rated for this role. Importance reflects how essential each skill is for adequate job performance.
Among working chemical engineers, the most common entry qualification is a Bachelor's Degree (81.8%). Bachelor's-degree-or-higher credentials are reported by 100% of incumbents. This is a degree-heavy profession — most incumbents hold a four-year degree or beyond.
Median annual pay is highest in Oklahoma at $160,990 and lowest in Nevada at $78,220 — a 2.1× spread. The top five states (Oklahoma, New Mexico, West Virginia, Texas, Virginia) average $143,144. Figures reflect BLS OEWS May 2024 state-level wage estimates; percentiles shown are for full-time wage-earners in each state.
| State | Median | Mean | 10th % | 90th % | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma | $160,990 | $152,840 | $91,420 | $223,050 | 190 |
| New Mexico | $147,290 | $150,610 | $94,430 | $214,460 | 80 |
| West Virginia | $139,730 | $135,390 | $86,520 | $176,480 | 210 |
| Texas | $135,160 | $148,690 | $85,200 | $211,090 | 2,780 |
| Virginia | $132,550 | $139,270 | $92,630 | $171,930 | 1,020 |
| New York | $132,480 | $121,810 | $79,390 | $164,280 | 560 |
| Colorado | $131,740 | $124,540 | $79,490 | $169,990 | 850 |
| Delaware | $131,330 | $130,270 | $85,500 | $178,270 | 390 |
| Louisiana | $131,180 | $139,380 | $96,990 | $174,600 | 780 |
| Washington | $130,830 | $136,270 | $92,610 | $182,040 | 600 |
| Maryland | $129,710 | $131,500 | $70,680 | $188,010 | 560 |
| North Dakota | $127,970 | $127,230 | $86,800 | $141,700 | 60 |
| Arizona | $125,050 | $129,890 | $86,670 | $190,000 | 170 |
| Illinois | $120,360 | $120,970 | $74,230 | $171,110 | 490 |
| Massachusetts | $119,260 | $125,220 | $81,550 | $173,050 | 1,140 |
| New Jersey | $118,340 | $123,740 | $78,830 | $179,880 | 480 |
| Oregon | $115,800 | $121,230 | $80,400 | $166,110 | 210 |
| Indiana | $115,570 | $121,580 | $81,110 | $173,990 | 330 |
| Ohio | $115,190 | $117,440 | $75,630 | $164,280 | 1,100 |
| Minnesota | $114,060 | $135,060 | $58,590 | — | 180 |
| Kentucky | $112,390 | $114,760 | $81,260 | $153,210 | 230 |
| Tennessee | $110,150 | $120,970 | $85,920 | $183,400 | 450 |
| North Carolina | $109,940 | $118,220 | $78,260 | $160,630 | 450 |
| Kansas | $107,200 | $118,210 | $73,960 | $204,640 | 260 |
| Pennsylvania | $107,040 | $119,510 | $79,070 | $171,290 | 970 |
| Idaho | $106,980 | $122,020 | $94,420 | $170,000 | 160 |
| Michigan | $106,690 | $110,100 | $64,450 | $157,590 | 780 |
| Alaska | $106,360 | $108,670 | $85,580 | $121,940 | — |
| Nebraska | $105,560 | $116,010 | $61,490 | $174,980 | 210 |
| South Carolina | $104,660 | $112,250 | $80,120 | $142,370 | 290 |
| Florida | $104,000 | $111,770 | $63,700 | $154,870 | 180 |
| Alabama | $103,620 | $116,130 | $72,750 | $191,400 | 540 |
| Mississippi | $102,470 | $107,550 | $77,910 | $133,810 | 150 |
| Georgia | $102,360 | $112,480 | $63,890 | $181,540 | 340 |
| Iowa | $101,080 | $102,820 | $82,700 | $126,600 | 60 |
| Missouri | $101,010 | $115,630 | $69,750 | $161,600 | 450 |
| Montana | $100,900 | $115,380 | $77,790 | $160,000 | 70 |
| Connecticut | $99,990 | $116,930 | $81,150 | $159,870 | 380 |
| Arkansas | $99,020 | $102,710 | $79,060 | $130,430 | 170 |
| Wisconsin | $92,530 | $94,650 | $60,310 | $127,720 | 210 |
| Rhode Island | $91,770 | $97,780 | $67,950 | $132,000 | 40 |
| Utah | $80,820 | $89,550 | $45,600 | $126,490 | — |
| Nevada | $78,220 | $88,330 | $25,920 | $130,460 | 50 |
Recruiters and job boards use several alternate titles for chemical engineers. Knowing these variants widens your job search — listings for Absorption and Adsorption Engineer or Automation Engineer frequently describe the same role. The list below is a sample of the most common industry variants.
This data helps you understand how Chemical Engineers compares to others in the 17 category. Use it to make informed decisions based on verified data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0.
careers with the closest data values to Chemical Engineers
The CertifyWize editorial team aggregates and verifies careers data from BLS OEWS 2024 + O*NET 29.0. Every statistic on this site is cross-referenced against the official source before publication, with quarterly re-verification cycles.
Read our full methodology or contact us with corrections.