Chemical Engineers Salary
Chemical Engineers in Missouri make a median of $102,320 a year, or about $49.19 an hour. The range runs from $84K at the entry level to $166K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.97), which stretches that salary to about $115,005 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,097/month, or 17% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Missouri. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $102K actually covers in Missouri, month by month
About chemical engineers
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What this looks like in Missouri
Pay for chemical engineers in Missouri runs about 18% below the U.S. median of $125K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,097/month, 17.3% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.97 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Missouri can be a reasonable trade-off for chemical engineers who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Missouri
Entry-level chemical engineers (10th percentile) start around $84K. Mid-career wages sit at $102K. Top earners bring in $166K or more, a $82K spread from bottom to top.
Chemical Engineers salary by metro in Missouri
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis | $133K | +30% | 110 |
| Kansas City | $102K | +0% | 380 |
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Missouri 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 Missouri?
Yes — at the median salary of $102K, rent takes 17.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,097/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for chemical engineers in Missouri?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new chemical engineers typically earn — is $84K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,372/month. At HUD’s $1,097/month FMR, rent would take 20% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is chemical engineer a high-paying job in Missouri?
Local pay runs 18% below the national median — $102K here vs. $125K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Missouri compare to the national average for chemical engineers?
Missouri pays $102K median vs. the U.S. average of $125K — that’s -18%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $115K — below the national median.
How much do chemical engineers make in Missouri?
The median is $102,320 a year, that works out to about $49 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $84,300, and experienced chemical engineers can clear $166,270. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $102K enough to live in Missouri?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,356/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,097/month, which eats 17.3% 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 Missouri?
Missouri has a Regional Price Parity of 88.97 (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 $115,005 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.