Chemical Engineers — Career Decision Dashboard
United States
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Report generated from official BLS OEWS and O*NET data — United States.
Median annual wage
$125,040
United States, 2025
Employment
21,070
United States, 2025
Typical education
Bachelor's Degree
Job Zone 4
Skills identified
35
10 related careers
Career overview
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.
- O*NET code
- 17-2041.00
- Job zone
- 4
- Experience required
- None
Typical tasks
- Develop safety procedures to be employed by workers operating equipment or working in close proximity to ongoing chemical reactions.
- Troubleshoot problems with chemical manufacturing processes.
- Monitor and analyze data from processes and experiments.
- Evaluate chemical equipment and processes to identify ways to optimize performance or to ensure compliance with safety and environmental regulations.
- Design and plan layout of equipment.
- Prepare estimate of production costs and production progress reports for management.
- Perform tests and monitor performance of processes throughout stages of production to determine degree of control over variables such as temperature, density, specific gravity, and pressure.
- Conduct research to develop new and improved chemical manufacturing processes.
Choose a location
Salary analysis — United States
10th percentile
$79,420
25th percentile
$97,820
75th percentile
$157,190
90th percentile
$182,880
Most important skills
- Science4.1
- Critical Thinking4.1
- Complex Problem Solving4.0
- Reading Comprehension4.0
- Systems Analysis3.9
- Systems Evaluation3.9
- Active Learning3.9
- Judgment and Decision Making3.9
- Mathematics3.8
- Operations Analysis3.6
- Speaking3.5
- Active Listening3.3
What skills do you need?
Select the skills you already have
Skills listed are those O*NET rates at importance 3.0 or above for this occupation. Set your own level on the same 0–7 O*NET scale.
Skill coverage
0%
0 of 20 identified skills
Matched
0
Missing
20
Your selected skills cover approximately 0% of the skills identified for this occupation in O*NET. This is a coverage measure of listed skills only — it is not a qualification, hiring or interview outcome.
Skills to develop
| Skill | Importance | Required level | Your level | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Science | 4.1 | 5.1 | Not selected | 5.1 |
| Critical Thinking | 4.1 | 5.0 | Not selected | 5.0 |
| Active Learning | 3.9 | 4.8 | Not selected | 4.8 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.9 | 4.6 | Not selected | 4.6 |
| Mathematics | 3.8 | 4.8 | Not selected | 4.8 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 4.0 | 4.4 | Not selected | 4.4 |
| Reading Comprehension | 4.0 | 4.4 | Not selected | 4.4 |
| Operations Analysis | 3.6 | 4.6 | Not selected | 4.6 |
| Systems Analysis | 3.9 | 4.1 | Not selected | 4.1 |
| Systems Evaluation | 3.9 | 4.1 | Not selected | 4.1 |
| Speaking | 3.5 | 4.0 | Not selected | 4.0 |
| Active Listening | 3.3 | 4.0 | Not selected | 4.0 |
| Writing | 3.1 | 4.0 | Not selected | 4.0 |
| Monitoring | 3.1 | 3.9 | Not selected | 3.9 |
| Quality Control Analysis | 3.0 | 3.9 | Not selected | 3.9 |
| Operations Monitoring | 3.0 | 3.8 | Not selected | 3.8 |
| Time Management | 3.0 | 3.8 | Not selected | 3.8 |
| Coordination | 3.0 | 3.6 | Not selected | 3.6 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.0 | 3.3 | Not selected | 3.3 |
| Instructing | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
Ordered by required level gap multiplied by O*NET importance. No prediction or recommendation is implied.
Related careers
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Compare with Chemical EngineersHow salary varies by location
| Location | Median | Employment | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Albuquerque, NM | $163,380 | 80 | 2025 |
| NM | $158,190 | 160 | 2025 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $152,290 | 110 | 2025 |
| Fort Collins, CO | $139,220 | 40 | 2025 |
| Houston, TX | $138,120 | 1,510 | 2025 |
| Mobile, AL | $137,170 | 150 | 2025 |
| New Orleans, LA | $136,870 | 190 | 2025 |
| Lake Charles, LA | $136,810 | 100 | 2025 |
| VA | $136,380 | 790 | 2025 |
| Trenton, NJ | $135,110 | 40 | 2025 |
| AL | $135,030 | 600 | 2025 |
| LA | $134,800 | 730 | 2025 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | $134,800 | 360 | 2025 |
| Los Angeles, CA | $134,210 | 320 | 2025 |
| Rochester, NY | $133,740 | — | 2025 |
| DE | $133,670 | 370 | 2025 |
| St. Louis, MO | $133,450 | 110 | 2025 |
| Washington, DC | $132,820 | 640 | 2025 |
| Toledo, OH | $132,760 | 70 | 2025 |
| TX | $132,750 | 2,610 | 2025 |
Career transition paths
Compare the skills of a career you hold today with Chemical Engineers to see shared skills, target-only skills and skill overlap.
Build a transition comparisonCareer and skills data: O*NET 31.0.
Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, 2025 (May 2025 release).
Figures are periodic published survey snapshots, not real-time market rates.