Chemical Engineers Salary
Chemical Engineers in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO make a median of $128,110 a year, or about $61.59 an hour. The range runs from $80K at the entry level to $196K for experienced workers.
So what does $128K get you in Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
About chemical engineers
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Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for chemical engineers in metros near Denver-Aurora-Centennial, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Boulder | $126K | , |
| Fort Collins-Loveland | $139K | , |
| Wichita | $129K | $145K |
| Salt Lake City-Murray | $86K | $85K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO
Entry-level chemical engineers (10th percentile) start around $80K. Mid-career wages sit at $128K. Top earners bring in $196K or more, a $117K 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 Denver-Aurora-Centennial numbers change.
Related careers in Engineering
Frequently asked questions
What’s the entry-level salary for chemical engineers in Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new chemical engineers typically earn — is $80K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,776/month.
Is chemical engineer a high-paying job in Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $128K locally vs. $125K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Denver-Aurora-Centennial compare to the national average for chemical engineers?
Denver-Aurora-Centennial pays $128K median vs. the U.S. average of $125K — that’s +2%.
How much do chemical engineers make in Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO?
The median is $128,110 a year, that works out to about $62 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $79,600, and experienced chemical engineers can clear $196,180. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $128K enough to live in Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,723/month after taxes. Rent data is not available for this area.
How far does a chemical engineers salary go in Denver-Aurora-Centennial?
Denver-Aurora-Centennial has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median chemical engineers salary is worth about $128,110 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.