Chemical Engineers Salary
Chemical Engineers in Louisiana make a median of $134,800 a year, or about $64.81 an hour. The range runs from $76K at the entry level to $178K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 87.28), which stretches that salary to about $154,445 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,191/month, or 14.6% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Louisiana. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $135K actually covers in Louisiana, month by month
About chemical engineers
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What this looks like in Louisiana
Chemical engineers pay in Louisiana tracks closely to the national median, $135K locally vs. $125K nationwide, a 8% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,191/month, 14.6% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 87.28 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 13% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Louisiana
Entry-level chemical engineers (10th percentile) start around $76K. Mid-career wages sit at $135K. Top earners bring in $178K or more, a $102K spread from bottom to top.
Chemical Engineers salary by metro in Louisiana
3 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Orleans-Metairie | $137K | +2% | 190 |
| Lake Charles | $137K | +1% | 100 |
| Baton Rouge | $135K | +0% | 360 |
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Louisiana numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a chemical engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Louisiana?
Yes — at the median salary of $135K, rent takes 14.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,191/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for chemical engineers in Louisiana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new chemical engineers typically earn — is $76K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,906/month. At HUD’s $1,191/month FMR, rent would take 24% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is chemical engineer a high-paying job in Louisiana?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $135K locally vs. $125K nationally, a 8% difference.
How does Louisiana compare to the national average for chemical engineers?
Louisiana pays $135K median vs. the U.S. average of $125K — that’s +8%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 87.28), the purchasing-power equivalent is $154K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do chemical engineers make in Louisiana?
The median is $134,800 a year, that works out to about $65 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $75,500, and experienced chemical engineers can clear $177,790. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $135K enough to live in Louisiana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,145/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,191/month, which eats 14.6% 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 Louisiana?
Louisiana has a Regional Price Parity of 87.28 (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 $154,445 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.