Chemical Engineers Salary
Chemical Engineers in Albuquerque, NM make a median of $163,380 a year, or about $78.55 an hour. The range runs from $70K at the entry level to $205K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 95.55), that's roughly $170,989 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,464/month, or 14.8% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $163K get you in Albuquerque?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Albuquerque’s Regional Price Parity (95.55). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About chemical engineers
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What this looks like in Albuquerque
Albuquerque sits well above the national pay line for chemical engineers, local pay runs about 31% higher than the U.S. median of $125K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,464/month, 15.2% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 95.55) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Combined with manageable housing costs, Albuquerque offers a genuinely strong financial position for chemical engineerss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for chemical engineers in metros near Albuquerque, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Salt Lake City-Murray | $86K | $85K |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $138K | $140K |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial | $128K | , |
| Boulder | $126K | , |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Albuquerque, NM
Entry-level chemical engineers (10th percentile) start around $70K. Mid-career wages sit at $163K. Top earners bring in $205K or more, a $135K spread from bottom to top.
Chemical Engineers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Chemical Engineers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Mexico | $158K | +27% | 160 |
| Virginia | $136K | +9% | 790 |
| Alabama | $135K | +8% | 600 |
| Louisiana | $135K | +8% | 730 |
| Delaware | $134K | +7% | 370 |
| Texas | $133K | +6% | 2,610 |
| West Virginia | $129K | +3% | 160 |
| New York | $129K | +3% | 540 |
| Washington | $128K | +3% | 650 |
| Oklahoma | $128K | +2% | 110 |
| Montana | $127K | +2% | 80 |
| Maryland | $127K | +2% | 500 |
| New Jersey | $127K | +1% | 440 |
| Colorado | $126K | +1% | 720 |
| Illinois | $122K | -3% | 520 |
| Massachusetts | $118K | -6% | 1,460 |
| Iowa | $118K | -6% | 40 |
| North Carolina | $117K | -6% | 380 |
| Kentucky | $117K | -6% | 190 |
| Pennsylvania | $117K | -6% | 810 |
| Oregon | $117K | -6% | 140 |
| North Dakota | $115K | -8% | 80 |
| Indiana | $113K | -10% | 720 |
| Rhode Island | $112K | -11% | 50 |
| Ohio | $111K | -11% | 1,030 |
| Florida | $109K | -13% | 230 |
| Minnesota | $108K | -14% | 210 |
| Mississippi | $107K | -15% | 150 |
| Idaho | $107K | -15% | 140 |
| Alaska | $106K | -15% | N/A |
| Arkansas | $105K | -16% | 290 |
| Georgia | $104K | -17% | 330 |
| Michigan | $103K | -17% | 670 |
| Missouri | $102K | -18% | 320 |
| Connecticut | $102K | -18% | 410 |
| Kansas | $102K | -18% | 280 |
| South Carolina | $102K | -19% | 390 |
| Nebraska | $98K | -21% | 130 |
| Wisconsin | $98K | -22% | 110 |
| Utah | $86K | -32% | N/A |
| New Hampshire | $73K | -41% | 40 |
Showing 1–10 of 41 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track chemical engineers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Albuquerque numbers change.
Related careers in Engineering
Frequently asked questions
Can a chemical engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Albuquerque?
Yes — at the median salary of $163K, rent takes 15.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,464/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for chemical engineers in Albuquerque?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new chemical engineers typically earn — is $70K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,206/month. At HUD’s $1,464/month FMR, rent would take 35% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is chemical engineer a high-paying job in Albuquerque?
Local pay is 31% above the national median — $163K here vs. $125K nationally.
How does Albuquerque compare to the national average for chemical engineers?
Albuquerque pays $163K median vs. the U.S. average of $125K — that’s +31%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 95.55), the purchasing-power equivalent is $171K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do chemical engineers make in Albuquerque, NM?
The median is $163,380 a year, that works out to about $79 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $70,100, and experienced chemical engineers can clear $205,360. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $163K enough to live in Albuquerque?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $9,618/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,464/month, which eats 15.2% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a chemical engineers salary go in Albuquerque?
Albuquerque has a Regional Price Parity of 95.55 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median chemical engineers salary is worth about $170,989 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do chemical engineers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.