Chemical engineers use their knowledge of chemicals to produce medicines, products, and safe manufacturing processes.
Chemical engineering graduates can access careers in many industries, including healthcare, life sciences, and manufacturing.
Here, we look more closely at the chemical engineering degree jobs available to give you an idea of what to expect.
Chemical engineering degree jobs look different depending on the role and industry. Students and professionals can work in a chemical engineering subfield, such as biological engineering. Chemical engineers work in the following subfields:
The American Chemical Society states that chemical engineers design and manage chemical processes for manufacturing products. Responsibilities vary among industries.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the leading industry employers of chemical engineers in 2020 were:
In May 2020, chemical engineers earned median annual wages of$108,540, the BLS reported.
Chemical engineering allows for remote work, but you may also work in offices, laboratories, manufacturing plants, and refineries. Chemical engineers work with other engineers and manufacturing professionals.
You can boost your career with advanced chemical engineering degrees, experience, and professional licensure.
The chemical engineering discipline contains many subfields and professions. Depending on the level and focus of your training, you may pursue the following chemical engineering degree jobs.
Minimum degree level required:Bachelor's degree
Salary expectations:$108,540 median annual salary
Alternate job titles:Process engineer, process development engineers biochemical engineer, pharmaceutical engineer
Important qualities:
Chemical engineers design equipment and processes for the manufacturing and production industries. They ensure chemical handling and reactions are done safely and achieve the appropriate results. They also help develop new chemical products.
Minimum degree level required:Doctoral degree
Salary expectations:$103,600 median annual salary
Alternate job titles:Engineering teacher, chemical engineering faculty, chemical engineering researcher
Important qualities:
Chemical engineering professors teach aspiring chemical engineers in colleges and universities. They create lessons and curricula, assess student knowledge and progress, conduct research, and publish findings.
Minimum degree level required:Bachelor's degree
Salary expectations:$79,300 median annual wage
Alternate job titles:Materials scientist, analytical chemist, medicinal chemist, physical chemist
Important qualities:
Chemists research and study chemicals, substances, and products. They test the safety of products, develop new products, and design processes and procedures for scientists and production professionals. Chemists can specialize in areas like green, forensic, organic, or inorganic chemistry.
Minimum degree level required:Bachelor's degree
Salary expectations:$111,707
Alternate job titles:Research and development engineer, product and development engineer
Important qualities:
These engineers research, design, develop, and test products for manufacturing. They resolve any product or process issues and help make improvements. They also lay out the proper procedures for the manufacturing processes.
Minimum degree level required:Bachelor's degree
Salary expectations:$149,530 median annual wage
Alternate job titles:Chief engineer, operations manager, product manager, engineering project manager
Important qualities:
Engineering managementinvolves overseeing a team of engineers and your employer's projects. These professionals manage budgets, staffing, policies, and processes. They also lead the research and development of new products and processes.
Minimum degree level required:Bachelor's degree
Salary expectations:$92,120 median annual salary
Alternate job titles:Environmental quality engineer, environmental consultant, green engineer
Important qualities:
Environmental engineers look for solutions to environmental issues, such as waste disposal, recycling, and pollution. They perform tests and quality checks for compliance and regulation adherence. They also develop processes and procedures for organizations that could impact the environment.
Minimum degree level required:Bachelor's degree
Salary expectations:$70,131 median annual wage
Alternate job titles:Field engineer, field application engineer
Important qualities:
Field service engineers work onsite and troubleshoot technical issues with equipment. They install and test new equipment, research issues, and perform maintenance on equipment. They also provide guidance and procedure information on new equipment and processes.
Minimum degree level required:Bachelor's degree
Salary expectations:$99,460 median annual wage
Alternate job titles:Chemist, ceramic scientist, glass scientist, metal scientist, nanomaterials scientist
Important qualities:
Materials scientists study specific materials' properties and look for applications. They help develop products and identify new mixtures and processes using the materials.
Minimum degree level required:Bachelor's degree
Salary expectations:$108,540 median annual salary
Alternate job titles:Chemical engineer, process engineer, process development engineer
Important qualities:
Process control engineers specialize in specific chemical processes, often in manufacturing. For example, they might work with oxidation or polymerization. They ensure chemical mixtures and reactions are controlled safely and productively.
Minimum degree level required:Bachelor's degree
Salary expectations:$70,698 median annual salary
Alternate job titles:Engineering project manager, field engineer, lead project engineer
Important qualities:
Project engineers oversee projects and their respective teams. They organize tasks, prepare and plan processes, and create schedules and budgets. Project engineers also monitor activities and ensure employees follow safety standards and guidelines.
Minimum degree level required:Bachelor's degree
Salary expectations:$137,330 median annual salary
Alternate job titles:Petroleum engineer, production engineer, completions engineer
Important qualities:
These engineers develop new equipment and processes to refine oil and raw materials. They ensure the processes can be completed safely, effectively, and in line with public health standards and guidelines.
Data is drawn from theU.S. Bureau of Labor Statisticsunless otherwise noted.