JobAfterNext

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.

Wages

Median annual wage, U.S.$125,040
Employment, U.S.21,070
Median hourly wage$60.12
Annual wage percentiles, U.S., May 2025
10th25thMedian75th90th
$79,420$97,820$125,040$157,190$182,880
By state (45)
StateEmploymentMedian annualLocation quotient
Alabama600$135,0302.08
Alaska$106,080
Arizona80Not available0.19
Arkansas290$105,2701.66
California2,190Not available0.89
Colorado720$125,8001.84
Connecticut410$102,2701.80
Delaware370$133,6705.59
Florida230$109,0000.17
Georgia330$103,8800.49
Idaho140$106,7401.17
Illinois520$121,5600.63
Indiana720$113,1601.66
Iowa40$117,5900.20
Kansas280$102,0201.44
Kentucky190$117,1700.70
Louisiana730$134,8002.80
Maryland500$127,1901.35
Massachusetts1,460$118,0002.96
Michigan670$103,2301.13
Minnesota210$107,6700.54
Mississippi150$106,7400.94
Missouri320$102,3200.80
Montana80$127,4901.16
Nebraska130$98,3100.96
Nevada110Not available0.54
New Hampshire40$73,2500.45
New Jersey440$126,7600.75
New Mexico160$158,1901.33
New York540$129,0600.41
North Carolina380$117,4100.56
North Dakota80$115,4001.32
Ohio1,030$111,2001.37
Oklahoma110$127,7900.46
Oregon140$116,9500.53
Pennsylvania810$116,9700.98
Rhode Island50$111,5900.70
South Carolina390$101,5701.26
Tennessee480Not available1.09
Texas2,610$132,7501.37
Utah$85,520
Virginia790$136,3801.42
Washington650$128,2901.36
West Virginia160$129,2101.65
Wisconsin110$97,6600.28

Similar occupations

Similarity is our measure: the cosine of importance x level over all 120 O*NET skills, knowledge areas and abilities. It is not an O*NET finding. More.

#OccupationJob ZoneSimilarity
1Materials Engineers40.981
2Materials Scientists40.979
3Fuel Cell Engineers40.974
4Nuclear Engineers40.973
5Nanosystems Engineers50.973
6Automotive Engineers40.966
7Mechanical Engineers40.964
8Mining and Geological Engineers, Including Mining Safety Engineers40.963
9Aerospace Engineers40.960
10Petroleum Engineers40.957

One skill away

Among the 50 occupations most similar to Chemical Engineers, those at the same Job Zone or lower, where exactly one skill rated at least 3 in importance needs a level more than 0.75 points higher (on O*NET's 0-7 level scale). Our definition. Change the thresholds.

OccupationSkill to buildLevel gapSimilarity
Materials EngineersInstructing0.880.981
Automotive EngineersTechnology Design1.000.966
Aerospace EngineersTechnology Design0.870.960
Mechatronics EngineersOperation and Control1.120.956
Photonics EngineersTechnology Design1.000.953
Manufacturing EngineersTechnology Design1.120.952
Marine Engineers and Naval ArchitectsOperation and Control1.240.935
Geoscientists, Except Hydrologists and GeographersWriting0.880.925

Software to learn next

Software used by at least 3 of the 20 occupations most similar to Chemical Engineers, excluding software Chemical Engineers already lists and any you named. Ranked by how many of them use it, weighted by how much more common it is among them than across all occupations (lift). Our ranking.

SoftwareSimilar jobs using itLift
Python16 of 205.6x
Finite element method FEM software7 of 2029.4x
ANSYS simulation software7 of 2026.9x
Rapid prototyping software6 of 2034.6x
MathWorks Simulink7 of 2017.0x
C#9 of 207.6x
Linux12 of 204.5x
Oracle Java11 of 205.1x
Maplesoft Maple6 of 2018.5x
Finite element analysis FEA software5 of 2033.0x

Skills

From O*NET data. Importance is rated 1 to 5 and level 0 to 7.

SkillTypeImportanceLevel
ScienceEssential skill 4.12 5.12
Critical ThinkingEssential skill 4.12 5.00
Complex Problem SolvingTransferable skill 4.00 4.38
Reading ComprehensionEssential skill 4.00 4.38
Active LearningEssential skill 3.88 4.75
Judgment and Decision MakingTransferable skill 3.88 4.62
Systems AnalysisTransferable skill 3.88 4.12
Systems EvaluationTransferable skill 3.88 4.12
MathematicsEssential skill 3.75 4.75
Operations AnalysisTransferable skill 3.62 4.62
SpeakingEssential skill 3.50 4.00
Active ListeningEssential skill 3.25 4.00
WritingEssential skill 3.12 4.00
MonitoringEssential skill 3.12 3.88
Quality Control AnalysisTransferable skill 3.00 3.88
Operations MonitoringTransferable skill 3.00 3.75
Time ManagementTransferable skill 3.00 3.75
CoordinationTransferable skill 3.00 3.62
Social PerceptivenessTransferable skill 3.00 3.25
InstructingTransferable skill 3.00 3.00
TroubleshootingTransferable skill 2.88 3.62
Learning StrategiesEssential skill 2.88 3.50
PersuasionTransferable skill 2.88 3.00
NegotiationTransferable skill 2.88 2.88
Technology DesignTransferable skill 2.88 2.88
Management of Personnel ResourcesTransferable skill 2.75 3.38
Service OrientationTransferable skill 2.75 3.00
Management of Material ResourcesTransferable skill 2.50 2.75
Management of Financial ResourcesTransferable skill 2.38 2.62
ProgrammingTransferable skill 2.25 2.75
Operation and ControlTransferable skill 2.00 1.88
Equipment SelectionTransferable skill 1.88 2.12
Equipment MaintenanceTransferable skill 1.00not rated
InstallationTransferable skill 1.00not rated
RepairingTransferable skill 1.00not rated
Knowledge (33) and abilities (52)
Knowledge
NameImportanceLevel
Engineering and Technology 4.78 6.39
Chemistry 4.65 5.78
Mathematics 4.26 5.43
Design 4.00 5.43
Physics 3.96 5.13
Production and Processing 3.95 4.61
English Language 3.74 4.13
Computers and Electronics 3.17 4.65
Mechanical 3.05 3.91
Administration and Management 2.83 3.96
Public Safety and Security 2.78 2.83
Education and Training 2.70 4.26
Building and Construction 2.61 3.22
Economics and Accounting 2.57 2.70
Law and Government 2.30 2.86
Customer and Personal Service 2.17 2.87
Communications and Media 2.04 1.96
Biology 1.96 2.17
Sales and Marketing 1.91 2.30
Administrative 1.91 2.26
Personnel and Human Resources 1.87 2.09
Transportation 1.70 1.65
Telecommunications 1.65 1.26
Geography 1.52 1.57
Food Production 1.52 1.22
Psychology 1.48 1.39
Foreign Language 1.35 0.70
Sociology and Anthropology 1.26not rated
History and Archeology 1.17not rated
Medicine and Dentistry 1.09not rated
Philosophy and Theology 1.09not rated
Therapy and Counseling 1.09not rated
Fine Arts 1.04not rated
Abilities
NameImportanceLevel
Category Flexibility 4.00 5.00
Deductive Reasoning 4.00 5.00
Oral Comprehension 4.00 5.00
Written Comprehension 4.00 5.00
Inductive Reasoning 4.00 4.88
Problem Sensitivity 4.00 4.62
Information Ordering 4.00 4.38
Oral Expression 4.00 4.38
Mathematical Reasoning 3.88 4.00
Near Vision 3.75 3.88
Number Facility 3.62 4.00
Fluency of Ideas 3.50 4.00
Originality 3.50 4.00
Flexibility of Closure 3.50 3.62
Written Expression 3.25 4.00
Speech Recognition 3.12 3.75
Visualization 3.12 3.75
Perceptual Speed 3.12 3.62
Speech Clarity 3.12 3.12
Far Vision 3.00 3.62
Selective Attention 3.00 3.25
Speed of Closure 3.00 3.00
Visual Color Discrimination 2.88 3.38
Memorization 2.62 2.75
Auditory Attention 2.62 2.62
Time Sharing 2.50 2.12
Depth Perception 2.00 2.12
Hearing Sensitivity 2.00 2.12
Trunk Strength 1.88 1.25
Arm-Hand Steadiness 1.88 0.88
Wrist-Finger Speed 1.75 0.88
Control Precision 1.75 0.75
Reaction Time 1.75 0.75
Finger Dexterity 1.62 1.25
Rate Control 1.50 0.50
Manual Dexterity 1.12not rated
Dynamic Flexibility 1.00not rated
Dynamic Strength 1.00not rated
Explosive Strength 1.00not rated
Extent Flexibility 1.00not rated
Glare Sensitivity 1.00not rated
Gross Body Coordination 1.00not rated
Gross Body Equilibrium 1.00not rated
Multilimb Coordination 1.00not rated
Night Vision 1.00not rated
Peripheral Vision 1.00not rated
Response Orientation 1.00not rated
Sound Localization 1.00not rated
Spatial Orientation 1.00not rated
Speed of Limb Movement 1.00not rated
Stamina 1.00not rated
Static Strength 1.00not rated

Software used

Examples from O*NET data. "Hot" and "in demand" are O*NET flags for technologies often listed in job postings.

All 54
  • Control Station ENGINEER
  • Dassault Systemes CATIA
  • EPCON International CHEMPRO Engineering Suite
  • EPCON International SYSTEM 7 Process Explorer
  • EPCON International SiNET
  • G&P Engineering Software EngVert
  • G&P Engineering Software PhysProps
  • G&P Engineering Software PipeDrop
  • GE Fanuc Proficy Machine Edition
  • Laboratory information management system LIMS
  • Madison Technical Software Chempak Plus
  • Madison Technical Software Enviropak
  • Madison Technical Software Steampak
  • Microsoft Exchange
  • Microsoft Visual C# .NET
  • Minitab
  • National Instruments LabVIEW
  • PTC Creo Parametric
  • Prode PD-Plus
  • Relational database software
  • SoftLab PHEdesign
  • Statistical software
  • Supervisory control and data acquisition SCADA software
  • Thermal Analysis Systems The Energy Analyst

Where it concentrates

Metro areas ranked by BLS location quotient: the occupation's share of the area's jobs divided by its share of all US jobs. Above 1 means more concentrated than the nation. Metros employing fewer than 100 are left out.

Metro areaEmploymentLocation quotientMedian annual
Kennewick-Richland, WA32018.03$130,030
Boulder, CO1907.35$125,800
Lake Charles, LA1007.16$136,810
Baton Rouge, LA3606.50$134,800
Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX1406.46$129,850
Mobile, AL1506.24$137,170
Worcester, MA2605.50$104,060
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA6704.33Not available
Corpus Christi, TX1003.70$126,690
Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX1,5103.40$138,120

More metros, other thresholds