Chemical Engineering Salaries Worldwide - Interesting Engineering (2024)

Here’s What Chemical Engineering Salaries Look Like Worldwide

If you want a lucrative career with job stability and various options to accelerate your career, then look no further than becoming a chemical engineer.

Chemical engineers continue to be in demand with a job outlook growth rate of eight percent between 2016 and 2026, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Chemical engineering jobs offer a lucrative career path, too. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S.-based chemical engineers made $55.03 per hour or $114,470 per year in May 2018.

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Moreover, you can move on to other positions that may boost your earnings with some of the highest salaries for chemical engineers, including roles as a plant manager, senior chemical engineer or operations manager.

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But chemical engineering salaries differ from location to location. So, if you’re planning to work in another country from where you studied or your home base, then it’s a great idea to compare salaries across countries.

Take a look at what chemical engineering jobs bring in around the world.

What Impacts a Chemical Engineering Salary?

From your skill set to your experience, several aspects may affect how much money you make as a chemical engineer. Experienced chemical engineers with a variety of skills often make more than chemical engineers starting out in their careers.

Data from PayScale reveals that U.S.-based chemical engineers with less than five years experience make an average of $69,000 per year. However, chemical engineers with five to 10 years experience make an average annual salary of $87,000.

Experience also plays an important role in how much extra you may earn working as a chemical engineer in Switzerland. PayScale reports that mid-career chemical engineers in Switzerland make an average of CHF 100,000 or $97,963 USD. That’s about 45 percent above the national average salary for chemical engineering jobs in Switzerland. On the other hand, entry-level chemical engineers in Switzerland earn about 31 percent below the national average.

The industry you work in and the organization you work for may impact the salary you earn as a chemical engineer.

According to data from the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE), the petroleum production and refining industry paid the highest chemical engineering salaries based in the United States in 2017. The Bureau of Labor Statistics notes that the petroleum and coal products manufacturing industry ($113,380) and the research and development in physical, engineering and life sciences industry ($108,440) paid the highest median annual salaries for U.S.-based chemical engineers in May 2018.

The organization you work for may affect your chemical engineering salary, too. Paysa reports that some of the top-paying organizations for chemical engineers in the United States include Xerox ($181,000), MIT ($160,000), the University of California–Santa Barbara ($148,000) and Boeing ($147,000).

What is the Average Salary for Entry-Level Chemical Engineering Jobs?

The average pay of chemical engineers varies across sources and countries.

For example, the Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) reports that entry-level chemical engineers based in the United Kingdom bring in £28,000 or $36,121 USD. On the other hand, Glassdoor reports that entry-level chemical engineers based in the United States make an average annual salary of $78,518 per year.

Entry-level chemical engineers in Switzerland make even less those in the United States at CHF 68,784 or $67,383 USD, according to PayScale.

How Much Do Chemical Engineers Make?

The earnings chemical engineers make on average varies depending on the country the chemical engineer works and the source. According to Indeed, the average chemical engineering salary in the United States brings in $92,058 per year. ZipRecruiter reports that U.S.-based chemical engineering jobs bring in an average of $77,539 per year. On the other hand, data from Glassdoor reveals that chemical engineers in the United States make an average annual salary of $77,564. PayScale reports an even lower annual salary for chemical engineers at $73,311 per year.

Yet, your chemical engineering salary may look different if you work in the United Kingdom.

According to Indeed, chemical engineers in the United Kingdom make an average of £30,638 or $39,524 USD. On the other hand, your chemical engineering salary may be higher if you work in Canada. That’s because Canada-based chemical engineers make an average annual salary of $77,455 CAD or $57,417 USD, according to Indeed.

Chemical Engineering Salaries Across the World

Thanks to factors, such as cost of living, demand for chemical engineering jobs and experience level, chemical engineering salaries often vary from country to country.

Here’s a look at the different salaries of chemical engineers around the world, according to the Economic Institute of Research (EMI):

Final Thoughts

Starting a career in chemical engineering can provide a lucrative career path and job stability. But it’s worthwhile to review the various salaries for chemical engineers around the world.