Chemical Engineers Salary
Chemical Engineers in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH make a median of $109,460 a year, or about $52.63 an hour. The range runs from $68K at the entry level to $176K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 108.27), so that salary is closer to $101,099 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,941/month, about 42.5% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $109K get you in Boston-Cambridge-Newton?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Boston-Cambridge-Newton’s Regional Price Parity (108.27). 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 Boston-Cambridge-Newton
Pay for chemical engineers in Boston-Cambridge-Newton runs about 12% below the U.S. median of $125K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,941/month, which is 44.2% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 8% above the national average (BEA RPP 108.27), so groceries and services cost more too. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for chemical engineerss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for chemical engineers in metros near Boston-Cambridge-Newton, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Worcester | $104K | $102K |
| Springfield | $111K | $115K |
| Rochester | $134K | $138K |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City | $127K | $113K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH
Entry-level chemical engineers (10th percentile) start around $68K. Mid-career wages sit at $109K. Top earners bring in $176K or more, a $108K 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 with published data
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 Boston-Cambridge-Newton numbers change.
Related careers in Engineering
Frequently asked questions
Can a chemical engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Boston-Cambridge-Newton?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $109K, rent takes 44.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,941/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $2,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for chemical engineers in Boston-Cambridge-Newton?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new chemical engineers typically earn — is $68K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,069/month. At HUD’s $2,941/month FMR, rent would take 72% 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 Boston-Cambridge-Newton?
Local pay runs 12% below the national median — $109K here vs. $125K nationally.
How does Boston-Cambridge-Newton compare to the national average for chemical engineers?
Boston-Cambridge-Newton pays $109K median vs. the U.S. average of $125K — that’s -12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 108.27), the purchasing-power equivalent is $101K — below the national median.
How much do chemical engineers make in Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH?
The median is $109,460 a year, that works out to about $53 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $67,810, and experienced chemical engineers can clear $176,120. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $109K enough to live in Boston-Cambridge-Newton?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,660/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,941/month, which eats 44.2% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a chemical engineers salary go in Boston-Cambridge-Newton?
Boston-Cambridge-Newton has a Regional Price Parity of 108.27 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median chemical engineers salary is worth about $101,099 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.