Chemical Engineers Salary
Chemical Engineers in Arkansas make a median of $105,270 a year, or about $50.61 an hour. The range runs from $80K at the entry level to $159K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.64), which stretches that salary to about $120,116 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,021/month, or 15.3% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Arkansas. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $105K actually covers in Arkansas, month by month
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What this looks like in Arkansas
Pay for chemical engineers in Arkansas runs about 16% below the U.S. median of $125K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,021/month, 15.6% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.64 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Arkansas can be a reasonable trade-off for chemical engineers who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Arkansas
Entry-level chemical engineers (10th percentile) start around $80K. Mid-career wages sit at $105K. Top earners bring in $159K or more, a $79K spread from bottom to top.
Chemical Engineers salary by metro in Arkansas
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway | $103K | -3% | 60 |
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a chemical engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Arkansas?
Yes — at the median salary of $105K, rent takes 15.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,021/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for chemical engineers in Arkansas?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new chemical engineers typically earn — is $80K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,169/month. At HUD’s $1,021/month FMR, rent would take 20% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is chemical engineer a high-paying job in Arkansas?
Local pay runs 16% below the national median — $105K here vs. $125K nationally. Cost of living is 12% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Arkansas compare to the national average for chemical engineers?
Arkansas pays $105K median vs. the U.S. average of $125K — that’s -16%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.64), the purchasing-power equivalent is $120K — below the national median.
How much do chemical engineers make in Arkansas?
The median is $105,270 a year, that works out to about $51 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $80,480, and experienced chemical engineers can clear $159,150. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $105K enough to live in Arkansas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,542/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,021/month, which eats 15.6% 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 Arkansas?
Arkansas has a Regional Price Parity of 87.64 (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 $120,116 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.