Chemical Engineers Salary
Chemical Engineers in Ohio make a median of $111,200 a year, or about $53.46 an hour. The range runs from $77K at the entry level to $170K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.45), which stretches that salary to about $121,597 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,188/month, or 16.9% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Ohio. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $111K actually covers in Ohio, month by month
About chemical engineers
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What this looks like in Ohio
Pay for chemical engineers in Ohio runs about 11% below the U.S. median of $125K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,188/month, 16.9% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.45 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Ohio can be a reasonable trade-off for chemical engineers who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Ohio
Entry-level chemical engineers (10th percentile) start around $77K. Mid-career wages sit at $111K. Top earners bring in $170K or more, a $93K spread from bottom to top.
Chemical Engineers salary by metro in Ohio
6 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Toledo | $133K | +19% | 70 |
| Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek | $124K | +11% | 50 |
| Columbus | $111K | -0% | 170 |
| Akron | $109K | -2% | 40 |
| Cleveland | $108K | -3% | 240 |
| Cincinnati | $108K | -3% | 300 |
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a chemical engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Ohio?
Yes — at the median salary of $111K, rent takes 16.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,188/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for chemical engineers in Ohio?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new chemical engineers typically earn — is $77K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,091/month. At HUD’s $1,188/month FMR, rent would take 23% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is chemical engineer a high-paying job in Ohio?
Local pay runs 11% below the national median — $111K here vs. $125K nationally. Cost of living is 9% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Ohio compare to the national average for chemical engineers?
Ohio pays $111K median vs. the U.S. average of $125K — that’s -11%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.45), the purchasing-power equivalent is $122K — below the national median.
How much do chemical engineers make in Ohio?
The median is $111,200 a year, that works out to about $53 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $76,940, and experienced chemical engineers can clear $169,600. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $111K enough to live in Ohio?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,013/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,188/month, which eats 16.9% 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 Ohio?
Ohio has a Regional Price Parity of 91.45 (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 $121,597 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.