Architecture & Engineering
Chemical Engineers
SOC 17-2041
Design and optimize processes that transform raw materials into products.
The job
Median pay
$125k
$98k to $157k typical range
Outlook, 2025 to 2035
Growing fast
+4.7% projected
Openings a year
1k
BLS projection
Typical education
Bachelor's
Our model
AI displacement risk
High
How much of this job AI may do instead of the person
Works with AI
5/100
AI alongside the person rather than instead of them
AI exposure
58th pct
More exposed than 58% of occupations · modeled estimate · 60th pct in Microsoft's data
Future-proof
59/100
Key skills
- Science
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Learning
- Mathematics
- Speaking
Pay and jobs by state
BLS OEWS May 2025, 51 states. Sorted by jobs; per 1,000 is jobs per thousand workers in the state; vs national compares that rate with the country's. A tilde marks a figure estimated from the parent occupation group where BLS publishes none.
| State | Jobs | Per 1,000 | vs national | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | 2,610 | 0.2 | 1.4× | $133k |
| California | 2,190 | 0.1 | 0.9× | $156k~ |
| Massachusetts | 1,460 | 0.4 | 3.0× | $118k |
| Ohio | 1,030 | 0.2 | 1.4× | $111k |
| Pennsylvania | 810 | 0.1 | 1.0× | $117k |
| Virginia | 790 | 0.2 | 1.4× | $136k |
| Louisiana | 730 | 0.4 | 2.8× | $135k |
| Colorado | 720 | 0.3 | 1.9× | $126k |
| Indiana | 720 | 0.2 | 1.7× | $113k |
| Michigan | 670 | 0.2 | 1.1× | $103k |
All 51 states
| State | Jobs | Per 1,000 | vs national | Median pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington | 650 | 0.2 | 1.4× | $128k |
| Alabama | 600 | 0.3 | 2.1× | $135k |
| New York | 540 | 0.1 | 0.4× | $129k |
| Illinois | 520 | 0.1 | 0.6× | $122k |
| Maryland | 500 | 0.2 | 1.3× | $127k |
| Tennessee | 480 | 0.1 | 1.1× | $108k~ |
| New Jersey | 440 | 0.1 | 0.8× | $127k |
| Connecticut | 410 | 0.2 | 1.8× | $102k |
| South Carolina | 390 | 0.2 | 1.3× | $102k |
| North Carolina | 380 | 0.1 | 0.6× | $117k |
| Delaware | 370 | 0.8 | 5.6× | $134k |
| Georgia | 330 | 0.1 | 0.5× | $104k |
| Missouri | 320 | 0.1 | 0.8× | $102k |
| Arkansas | 290 | 0.2 | 1.6× | $105k |
| Utah | 284 | 0.2 | 1.2× | $86k~ |
| Kansas | 280 | 0.2 | 1.4× | $102k |
| Florida | 230 | 0.0 | 0.2× | $109k |
| Minnesota | 210 | 0.1 | 0.5× | $108k |
| Kentucky | 190 | 0.1 | 0.7× | $117k |
| New Mexico | 160 | 0.2 | 1.4× | $158k |
| West Virginia | 160 | 0.2 | 1.7× | $129k |
| Mississippi | 150 | 0.1 | 0.9× | $107k |
| Idaho | 140 | 0.2 | 1.2× | $107k |
| Oregon | 140 | 0.1 | 0.5× | $117k |
| Nebraska | 130 | 0.1 | 0.9× | $98k |
| Nevada | 110 | 0.1 | 0.5× | $118k~ |
| Oklahoma | 110 | 0.1 | 0.5× | $128k |
| Wisconsin | 110 | 0.0 | 0.3× | $98k |
| Washington DC | 95 | 0.1 | 1.0× | $158k~ |
| Maine | 85 | 0.1 | 1.0× | $119k~ |
| Arizona | 80 | 0.0 | 0.2× | $122k~ |
| Montana | 80 | 0.2 | 1.1× | $127k |
| North Dakota | 80 | 0.2 | 1.4× | $115k |
| Hawaii | 75 | 0.1 | 0.9× | $123k~ |
| South Dakota | 53 | 0.1 | 0.9× | $103k~ |
| Alaska | 52 | 0.2 | 1.2× | $106k~ |
| Rhode Island | 50 | 0.1 | 0.7× | $112k |
| Vermont | 45 | 0.1 | 1.1× | $112k~ |
| Iowa | 40 | 0.0 | 0.2× | $118k |
| New Hampshire | 40 | 0.1 | 0.4× | $73k |
| Wyoming | 38 | 0.1 | 1.0× | $120k~ |
Top metro areas
- Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX1,510 jobs · $138k median
- Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH910 jobs · $109k median
- Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD790 jobs · $128k median
- San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA670 jobs
- Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV640 jobs · $133k median
- San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA620 jobs
- New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ510 jobs · $127k median
- Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO410 jobs · $128k median
Explore the rankings
Explore Chemical Engineers interactively →Pay and outlook from BLS (OEWS 2025, Employment Projections 2025-2035). Skills and work activities from O*NET 30.3. AI exposure and future-proof scores are modeled estimates. How these numbers are made.