Chemical Engineers Salary in Birmingham, AL
Chemical Engineers in Birmingham, AL make a median of $92,920 a year, or about $44.67 an hour. The range runs from $75K at the entry level to $175K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.64), which stretches that salary to about $101,397 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,266/month, or 21.6% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $93K get you in Birmingham?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Birmingham’s Regional Price Parity (91.64). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction.
About chemical engineers
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Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Birmingham, AL
Entry-level chemical engineers (10th percentile) start around $75K. Mid-career wages sit at $93K. Top earners bring in $175K or more, a $100K spread from bottom to top.
Chemical Engineers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oklahoma | $161K | +32% | 190 |
| New Mexico | $147K | +21% | 80 |
| West Virginia | $140K | +15% | 210 |
| Texas | $135K | +11% | 2,780 |
| Virginia | $133K | +9% | 1,020 |
| New York | $132K | +9% | 560 |
| Delaware | $131K | +8% | 390 |
| Louisiana | $131K | +8% | 780 |
| Washington | $131K | +7% | 600 |
| Maryland | $130K | +6% | 560 |
| North Dakota | $128K | +5% | 60 |
| Arizona | $125K | +3% | 170 |
| Illinois | $120K | -1% | 490 |
| Massachusetts | $119K | -2% | 1,140 |
| New Jersey | $118K | -3% | 480 |
| Oregon | $116K | -5% | 210 |
| Indiana | $116K | -5% | 330 |
| Ohio | $115K | -5% | 1,100 |
| Minnesota | $114K | -6% | 180 |
| Kentucky | $112K | -8% | 230 |
| Tennessee | $110K | -10% | 450 |
| North Carolina | $110K | -10% | 450 |
| Kansas | $107K | -12% | 260 |
| Pennsylvania | $107K | -12% | 970 |
| Idaho | $107K | -12% | 160 |
| Michigan | $107K | -12% | 780 |
| Alaska | $106K | -13% | N/A |
| Nebraska | $106K | -13% | 210 |
| South Carolina | $105K | -14% | 290 |
| Florida | $104K | -15% | 180 |
| Alabama | $104K | -15% | 540 |
| Mississippi | $102K | -16% | 150 |
| Georgia | $102K | -16% | 340 |
| Iowa | $101K | -17% | 60 |
| Missouri | $101K | -17% | 450 |
| Montana | $101K | -17% | 70 |
| Connecticut | $100K | -18% | 380 |
| Arkansas | $99K | -19% | 170 |
| Wisconsin | $93K | -24% | 210 |
| Rhode Island | $92K | -25% | 40 |
| Utah | $81K | -34% | N/A |
| Nevada | $78K | -36% | 50 |
Showing 1–10 of 42 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 Birmingham numbers change.
Related careers in Engineering
Frequently asked questions
How much do chemical engineers make in Birmingham, AL?
The median is $92,920 a year, that works out to about $45 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $74,870, and experienced chemical engineers can clear $174,800. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $93K enough to live in Birmingham?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $5,773/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,266/month, which eats 21.9% 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 Birmingham?
Birmingham has a Regional Price Parity of 91.64 (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 $101,397 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.