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Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics

Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2019

17-2041 Chemical Engineers

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.


National estimates for this occupation
Industry profile for this occupation
Geographic profile for this occupation

National estimates for this occupation:

Employment estimate and mean wage estimates for this occupation:

Employment (1) Employment
RSE (3)
Mean hourly
wage
Mean annual
wage (2)
Wage RSE (3)
30,120 2.6 % $56.29 $117,090 1.5 %

Percentile wage estimates for this occupation:

Percentile 10% 25% 50%
(Median)
75% 90%
Hourly Wage $32.12 $40.73 $52.30 $66.28 $84.66
Annual Wage (2) $66,810 $84,720 $108,770 $137,860 $176,090


Industry profile for this occupation:

Industries with the highest published employment and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all industries with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.

Industries with the highest levels of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) 9,670 2.66 $57.27 $119,130
Architectural, Engineering, and Related Services 3,130 0.21 $57.70 $120,030
Scientific Research and Development Services 3,090 0.44 $60.68 $126,210
Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing 1,730 1.54 $60.11 $125,030
Management of Companies and Enterprises 1,360 0.06 $76.87 $159,890

Industries with the highest concentration of employment in this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) 9,670 2.66 $57.27 $119,130
Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing 1,730 1.54 $60.11 $125,030
Chemical Manufacturing (3255 and 3256 only) 780 0.45 $47.69 $99,190
Scientific Research and Development Services 3,090 0.44 $60.68 $126,210
Oil and Gas Extraction 420 0.29 $72.90 $151,630

Top paying industries for this occupation:

Industry Employment (1) Percent of industry employment Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Management of Companies and Enterprises 1,360 0.06 $76.87 $159,890
Oil and Gas Extraction 420 0.29 $72.90 $151,630
Scientific Research and Development Services 3,090 0.44 $60.68 $126,210
Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing 1,730 1.54 $60.11 $125,030
Computer and Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing 330 0.21 $57.98 $120,590


Geographic profile for this occupation:

States and areas with the highest published employment, location quotients, and wages for this occupation are provided. For a list of all areas with employment in this occupation, see the Create Customized Tables function.





States with the highest employment level in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Texas 7,260 0.58 2.85 $72.36 $150,510
California 2,020 0.12 0.57 $50.30 $104,620
Louisiana 1,610 0.84 4.08 $55.50 $115,430
New Jersey 1,350 0.33 1.62 $60.90 $126,670
Ohio 1,330 0.24 1.19 $47.88 $99,600




States with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Delaware 470 1.04 5.05 $60.89 $126,650
Louisiana 1,610 0.84 4.08 $55.50 $115,430
Texas 7,260 0.58 2.85 $72.36 $150,510
West Virginia 310 0.45 2.18 $46.45 $96,620
Idaho 320 0.44 2.15 $58.36 $121,390




Top paying States for this occupation:

State Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Texas 7,260 0.58 2.85 $72.36 $150,510
Alaska 70 0.20 1.00 $69.28 $144,110
New Jersey 1,350 0.33 1.62 $60.90 $126,670
Delaware 470 1.04 5.05 $60.89 $126,650
New Mexico 110 0.14 0.67 $58.72 $122,140





Metropolitan areas with the highest employment level in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 4,230 1.39 6.76 $78.04 $162,330
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 1,370 0.48 2.32 $59.67 $124,120
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 1,090 0.30 1.45 $72.44 $150,680
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ-PA 830 0.09 0.42 $55.64 $115,730
Baton Rouge, LA 650 1.65 8.04 $62.97 $130,970
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 620 0.20 0.95 $55.19 $114,800
Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN-WI 550 0.12 0.57 $47.43 $98,650
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 540 0.09 0.42 $50.23 $104,480
Boston-Cambridge-Nashua, MA-NH 530 0.19 0.93 $54.39 $113,140
New Orleans-Metairie, LA 480 0.85 4.16 $52.46 $109,120




Metropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Idaho Falls, ID 270 4.09 19.94 $60.71 $126,270
Lake Charles, LA 360 3.08 15.02 $47.78 $99,380
Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX 440 2.75 13.44 $66.70 $138,740
Kennewick-Richland, WA 320 2.67 13.00 $54.88 $114,150
Baton Rouge, LA 650 1.65 8.04 $62.97 $130,970
Boulder, CO 280 1.51 7.35 $58.47 $121,610
Corpus Christi, TX 280 1.48 7.23 (8) (8)
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 4,230 1.39 6.76 $78.04 $162,330
Bend-Redmond, OR 110 1.35 6.59 $49.67 $103,310
Midland, TX 110 1.01 4.93 $73.16 $152,170




Top paying metropolitan areas for this occupation:

Metropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Houston-The Woodlands-Sugar Land, TX 4,230 1.39 6.76 $78.04 $162,330
Midland, TX 110 1.01 4.93 $73.16 $152,170
Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX 1,090 0.30 1.45 $72.44 $150,680
Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX 440 2.75 13.44 $66.70 $138,740
Baton Rouge, LA 650 1.65 8.04 $62.97 $130,970
Jackson, MS (8) (8) (8) $62.63 $130,270
Trenton, NJ (8) (8) (8) $61.46 $127,830
Decatur, AL 30 0.56 2.73 $61.33 $127,560
Idaho Falls, ID 270 4.09 19.94 $60.71 $126,270
Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 1,370 0.48 2.32 $59.67 $124,120

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest employment in this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Balance of Lower Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area 130 0.48 2.33 $40.07 $83,340
Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area 130 0.56 2.73 $59.98 $124,760
West Texas Region of Texas nonmetropolitan area 90 0.43 2.10 (8) (8)
West Northwestern Ohio nonmetropolitan area 70 0.28 1.38 $42.54 $88,480
Northeast Mississippi nonmetropolitan area 70 0.30 1.45 $43.67 $90,830

Nonmetropolitan areas with the highest concentration of jobs and location quotients in this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Upper Savannah South Carolina nonmetropolitan area 60 0.77 3.76 $48.43 $100,740
Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area 130 0.56 2.73 $59.98 $124,760
Northeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area 60 0.54 2.62 (8) (8)
Eastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area 70 0.48 2.34 $51.60 $107,330
Balance of Lower Peninsula of Michigan nonmetropolitan area 130 0.48 2.33 $40.07 $83,340

Top paying nonmetropolitan areas for this occupation:

Nonmetropolitan area Employment (1) Employment per thousand jobs Location quotient (9) Hourly mean wage Annual mean wage (2)
Southeast Iowa nonmetropolitan area 130 0.56 2.73 $59.98 $124,760
Southeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area 40 0.21 1.04 $59.43 $123,610
East Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area (8) (8) (8) $53.21 $110,680
Southwest Alabama nonmetropolitan area (8) (8) (8) $51.77 $107,680
Eastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area 70 0.48 2.34 $51.60 $107,330


About May 2019 National, State, Metropolitan, and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

These estimates are calculated with data collected from employers in all industry sectors, all metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, and all states and the District of Columbia. The top employment and wage figures are provided above. The complete list is available in the downloadable XLS files.

The percentile wage estimate is the value of a wage below which a certain percent of workers fall. The median wage is the 50th percentile wage estimate--50 percent of workers earn less than the median and 50 percent of workers earn more than the median. More about percentile wages.


(1) Estimates for detailed occupations do not sum to the totals because the totals include occupations not shown separately. Estimates do not include self-employed workers.

(2) Annual wages have been calculated by multiplying the hourly mean wage by a "year-round, full-time" hours figure of 2,080 hours; for those occupations where there is not an hourly wage published, the annual wage has been directly calculated from the reported survey data.

(3) The relative standard error (RSE) is a measure of the reliability of a survey statistic. The smaller the relative standard error, the more precise the estimate.

(8) Estimate not released.

(9) The location quotient is the ratio of the area concentration of occupational employment to the national average concentration. A location quotient greater than one indicates the occupation has a higher share of employment than average, and a location quotient less than one indicates the occupation is less prevalent in the area than average.


Other OES estimates and related information:

May 2019 National Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2019 State Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2019 Metropolitan and Nonmetropolitan Area Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2019 National Industry-Specific Occupational Employment and Wage Estimates

May 2019 Occupation Profiles

Technical Notes

 

Last Modified Date: July 6, 2020