Chemical Engineers Salary
Chemical Engineers in Charleston-North Charleston, SC make a median of $129,070 a year, or about $62.05 an hour. The range runs from $84K at the entry level to $173K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 100.96), that's roughly $127,843 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,787/month, or 22.8% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $129K get you in Charleston-North Charleston?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Charleston-North Charleston’s Regional Price Parity (100.96). 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 Charleston-North Charleston
Chemical engineers pay in Charleston-North Charleston tracks closely to the national median, $129K locally vs. $125K nationwide, a 3% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,787/month, 23.2% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 100.96) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for chemical engineers in metros near Charleston-North Charleston, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Greenville-Anderson-Greer | $87K | $93K |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell | $104K | $103K |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $116K | $119K |
| Durham-Chapel Hill | $117K | $120K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Charleston-North Charleston, SC
Entry-level chemical engineers (10th percentile) start around $84K. Mid-career wages sit at $129K. Top earners bring in $173K or more, a $89K 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 Charleston-North Charleston numbers change.
Related careers in Engineering
Frequently asked questions
Can a chemical engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Charleston-North Charleston?
Yes — at the median salary of $129K, rent takes 23.2% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,787/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for chemical engineers in Charleston-North Charleston?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new chemical engineers typically earn — is $84K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,048/month. At HUD’s $1,787/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 Charleston-North Charleston?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $129K locally vs. $125K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Charleston-North Charleston compare to the national average for chemical engineers?
Charleston-North Charleston pays $129K median vs. the U.S. average of $125K — that’s +3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 100.96), the purchasing-power equivalent is $128K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do chemical engineers make in Charleston-North Charleston, SC?
The median is $129,070 a year, that works out to about $62 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $84,130, and experienced chemical engineers can clear $173,360. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $129K enough to live in Charleston-North Charleston?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,695/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,787/month, which eats 23.2% 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 Charleston-North Charleston?
Charleston-North Charleston has a Regional Price Parity of 100.96 (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 $127,843 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.