How to Become a Chemical Engineer
Scale chemistry from the lab bench to industrial production, designing the processes behind fuels, plastics, medicines, and materials. It typically requires a bachelor's degree, with a median salary of $125,040 per year and about average projected job growth.
Median pay
$125,040/yr
Middle half
$97,820 to $157,190
Job growth
About average
Openings / yr
1,100
Majors that lead here
Key skills
- Process Design
- Thermodynamics
- Science
- Mathematics
- Critical Thinking
Helpful certifications
- FE/PE (Professional Engineer, for licensure track)
Is this career a fit?
Remote-friendly
17/100
Work-life balance
55/100
Stress level
52/100
Related careers
- Computer Hardware Engineer$161,740 median
- Petroleum Engineer$144,910 median
- Aerospace Engineer$134,960 median
- Nuclear Engineer$133,970 median
- Electrical Engineer$120,630 median
- Materials Engineer$112,860 median
Frequently asked questions
How much does a Chemical Engineer make?
The median pay for a Chemical Engineer is $125,040 a year, and the middle half of workers earn between $97,820 and $157,190 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2025). That covers everyone in the job, not only people starting out, so newer workers sit toward the lower end.
What degree do you need to become a Chemical Engineer?
The usual entry point is a bachelor's degree. Common majors are Chemical Engineering and Chemistry.
Is Chemical Engineer a growing field?
Projected job growth for this role from 2024 to 2034 is about average (BLS projections via O*NET), with roughly 1,100 U.S. openings a year.
What skills does a Chemical Engineer use most?
Common skills for this role are Process Design, Thermodynamics, Science, Mathematics, and Critical Thinking.
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Take the major quizWhere these pay figures come from
Career pay is the annual wage of everyone working in that occupation, not only recent graduates, so it includes people who have done the job for decades. The middle half is the 25th to the 75th percentile. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET OnLine (median and percentile annual wages May 2025; employment projections 2024-2034).
All figures are national. What you earn depends on where you work, who you work for, and how far you take the degree.
Job-growth figures: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics and O*NET OnLine (median and percentile annual wages May 2025; employment projections 2024-2034).