What is a Chemical Engineer?
Chemical engineers apply the principles of chemistry, biology, mathematics, and physics to transform raw materials into valuable products. They create fuel, food, drugs, and many other substances used as ingredients for commodities.
As a chemical engineer, you will be responsible for developing and carrying out various chemical processes. You will design chemical machinery and test procedures, contribute to the construction of process plants, and plan production methods.
You might be employed in various industries, such as pharmaceutical production, consumer goods, plastics, paints, or synthetics. You can work for food manufacturers, oil companies, or water treatment. The possibilities are numerous, and the demand for the profession is increasing along with the average growth through all occupations.
What Does a Chemical Engineer Do
Chemical engineers apply the principles of chemistry, biology, physics, and mathematics to solve problems that involve the production or use of chemicals, fuel, drugs, food, and many other products. They design processes and equipment for large-scale manufacturing, plan and test production methods and byproducts treatment, and direct facility operations.
How To Become a Chemical Engineer
Chemical engineers must have a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering. Employers also value practical experience, so internships and cooperative engineering programs, in which students earn college credit and experience, can be helpful.
Chemical Engineer Career Paths
As you move along in your career, you may start taking on more responsibilities or notice that you've taken on a leadership role. Using our career map, a chemical engineer can determine their career goals through the career progression. For example, they could start out with a role such as process engineer, progress to a title such as project manager and then eventually end up with the title vice president of global operations.
Average Salary for a Chemical Engineer
What Am I Worth?
States With The Most Chemical Engineer Jobs
Mouse over a state to see the number of active chemical engineer jobs in each state. The darker areas on the map show where chemical engineers earn the highest salaries across all 50 states.
Number Of Chemical Engineer Jobs By State
| Rank | State | Number of Jobs | Average Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 4,706 | $90,079 |
| 2 | Texas | 1,513 | $112,047 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | 1,201 | $91,611 |
| 4 | Florida | 1,096 | $83,615 |
| 5 | Virginia | 1,084 | $95,065 |
| 6 | Illinois | 977 | $75,255 |
| 7 | New York | 949 | $78,942 |
| 8 | Michigan | 912 | $76,578 |
| 9 | Ohio | 864 | $76,044 |
| 10 | North Carolina | 863 | $85,729 |
| 11 | Washington | 831 | $88,310 |
| 12 | Pennsylvania | 818 | $76,755 |
| 13 | Georgia | 795 | $76,323 |
| 14 | Maryland | 753 | $96,747 |
| 15 | Minnesota | 723 | $89,205 |
| 16 | Colorado | 681 | $74,305 |
| 17 | Arizona | 658 | $82,511 |
| 18 | Indiana | 628 | $76,815 |
| 19 | Wisconsin | 508 | $71,664 |
| 20 | Oregon | 468 | $78,972 |
| 21 | New Jersey | 453 | $91,381 |
| 22 | Alabama | 440 | $85,023 |
| 23 | Missouri | 392 | $85,671 |
| 24 | South Carolina | 384 | $83,050 |
| 25 | Tennessee | 363 | $84,652 |
| 26 | Utah | 352 | $67,863 |
| 27 | Connecticut | 326 | $66,906 |
| 28 | Iowa | 312 | $79,276 |
| 29 | Kentucky | 274 | $74,666 |
| 30 | Kansas | 211 | $58,768 |
| 31 | Arkansas | 188 | $72,894 |
| 32 | New Hampshire | 169 | $73,495 |
| 33 | Nebraska | 169 | $73,672 |
| 34 | Mississippi | 158 | $73,287 |
| 35 | Delaware | 158 | $72,192 |
| 36 | Idaho | 157 | $77,166 |
| 37 | New Mexico | 154 | $108,353 |
| 38 | Louisiana | 134 | $100,566 |
| 39 | Oklahoma | 133 | $101,222 |
| 40 | Nevada | 133 | $76,179 |
| 41 | West Virginia | 85 | $73,821 |
| 42 | Maine | 82 | $83,634 |
| 43 | Rhode Island | 76 | $72,971 |
| 44 | Montana | 75 | $73,569 |
| 45 | North Dakota | 69 | $79,966 |
| 46 | Vermont | 62 | $88,055 |
| 47 | Alaska | 49 | $72,944 |
| 48 | Hawaii | 48 | $94,153 |
| 49 | Wyoming | 41 | $60,501 |
| 50 | South Dakota | 40 | $66,185 |
Top Colleges for Chemical Engineers
1. Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, GA • Private
2. Lehigh University
Bethlehem, PA • Private
3. Villanova University
Villanova, PA • Private
4. Case Western Reserve University
Cleveland, OH • Private
5. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, MA • Private
6. University of Washington
Seattle, WA • Private
7. Clemson University
Clemson, SC • Private
8. Stanford University
Stanford, CA • Private
9. Stevens Institute of Technology
Hoboken, NJ • Private
10. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
Blacksburg, VA • Private
Top Skills For a Chemical Engineer
The skills section on your resume can be almost as important as the experience section, so you want it to be an accurate portrayal of what you can do. Luckily, we've found all of the skills you'll need so even if you don't have these skills yet, you know what you need to work on. Out of all the resumes we looked through, 10.4% of chemical engineers listed chemistry on their resume, but soft skills such as analytical skills and interpersonal skills are important as well.
Choose From 10+ Customizable Chemical Engineer Resume templates
Zippia allows you to choose from different easy-to-use Chemical Engineer templates, and provides you with expert advice. Using the templates, you can rest assured that the structure and format of your Chemical Engineer resume is top notch. Choose a template with the colors, fonts & text sizes that are appropriate for your industry.
Chemical Engineer Demographics
Chemical Engineer Gender Distribution
After extensive research and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
- Among chemical engineers, 25.9% of them are women, while 74.1% are men.
- The most common race/ethnicity among chemical engineers is White, which makes up 65.9% of all chemical engineers.
- The most common foreign language among chemical engineers is Spanish at 25.8%.
Work Experience Programs For Chemical Engineers
Virtual work experience programs replicate work at top companies and help you gain the skills to be successful when applying and working there. In only a few hours, learn the relevant tools necessary to complete a typical work day at that company. Virtual work experience programs are 100% free, open-access, and self-paced. No experience or application is required!
Company: Engineers Without Borders UK
Cost: Free
Duration: 5-6 hours
Company: JPMorgan Chase & Co.
Cost: Free
Duration: 4.25-5.75 hours
Company: John Holland Australia
Cost: Free
Duration: 5-6 hours
Company: Standard Bank
Cost: Free
Duration: 4-4.5 hours
Company: Blackbird Australia
Cost: Free
Duration: 5-10 hours
Company: Walmart India
Cost: Free
Duration: 3.5-4 hours
Company: Accenture North America
Cost: Free
Duration: 5-6 hours
Company: Accenture North America
Cost: Free
Duration: 4 hours
Online Courses For Chemical Engineer That You May Like
Chemical biology is a burgeoning field that has rapidly risen to prominence. This surge of interest has been fuelled by chemical biology’s applicability to understanding critical processes in live cells or model organisms in real time. This success has arisen because chemical biology straddles a nexus between chemistry, biology, and physics. Thus, chemical biology can harness rapid chemistry to observe or perturb biological processes, that are in turn reported using physical assays, all in an...
The only course with over 10 hours practical knowledge about main process equipment Design, Control and Safety...
Learn how the main process equipment such as chemical reactors, pumps, compressors & heat exchangers are controlled...
Best States For a Chemical Engineer
Some places are better than others when it comes to starting a career as a chemical engineer. The best states for people in this position are Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Louisiana. Chemical engineers make the most in Texas with an average salary of $112,047. Whereas in New Mexico and Oklahoma, they would average $108,353 and $101,222, respectively. While chemical engineers would only make an average of $100,566 in Louisiana, you would still make more there than in the rest of the country. We determined these as the best states based on job availability and pay. By finding the median salary, cost of living, and using the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Location Quotient, we narrowed down our list of states to these four.
1. Virginia
$95,065
Avg. Salary
2. Texas
$112,047
Avg. Salary
3. New Mexico
$108,353
Avg. Salary
How Do Chemical Engineer Rate Their Jobs?
Top Chemical Engineer Employers
Most Common Employers For Chemical Engineer
| Rank | Company | Average Salary | Hourly Rate | Job Openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chevron | $115,968 | $55.75 | 15 |
| 2 | Genentech | $112,514 | $54.09 | 12 |
| 3 | Exxon Mobil | $110,118 | $52.94 | 13 |
| 4 | Air Products | $103,843 | $49.92 | 15 |
| 5 | Merck | $102,384 | $49.22 | 34 |
| 6 | General Electric | $102,305 | $49.19 | 29 |
| 7 | The Dow Chemical Company | $101,854 | $48.97 | 21 |
| 8 | Fluor Corporation | $100,379 | $48.26 | 22 |
| 9 | Eastman | $99,952 | $48.05 | 32 |
| 10 | Ecolab | $98,186 | $47.20 | 11 |
Chemical Engineer Videos
Becoming a Chemical Engineer FAQs
Chemist Vs. Chemical Engineer
A chemist creates and develops new and original materials and devises related processes, while a chemical engineer uses these materials and processes.
A chemist investigates the background of science and focuses on developing materials and processes, analyzing substances, and measuring the physical properties of substances. They also tend to theories and focus on finding new concepts and ideas through this testing.
Do Chemical Engineers Get Paid Well?
Yes, chemical engineers get paid well. The average salary of a chemical engineer is $89,000 a year ($42.81 an hour). Some chemical engineers make upwards of $150,000 a year. Factors such as location and company impact how much a chemical or engineer can make.
How Many Years Does It Take To Become A Chemical Engineer?
It takes four years to become a chemical engineer. This includes the time it takes to earn your bachelor's degree in chemical engineering. It is recommended to begin applying for chemical engineering internships during this time.
Is Chemical Engineering A Good Career?
Yes, chemical engineering is a good career. Chemical engineering is an exciting and rewarding career path that is well-paying and needed in many different manufacturing industries. Chemical engineers, for example, working in oil and petroleum, can earn upward of $150,000 a year.
Is It Hard To Become A Chemical Engineer?
Yes, it's hard to be a chemical engineer. In terms of education, only a bachelor's degree is needed, but the material covered is very STEM (i.e., science, technology, engineering, mathematics) focused and is best suited for someone who performs well in these areas.