Chemical Engineers Salary
Chemical Engineers in Omaha, NE-IA make a median of $98,480 a year, or about $47.35 an hour. The range runs from $69K at the entry level to $157K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.91), which stretches that salary to about $107,148 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,368/month, or 22% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $98K get you in Omaha?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Omaha’s Regional Price Parity (91.91). 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 Omaha
Pay for chemical engineers in Omaha runs about 21% below the U.S. median of $125K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,368/month, 22.5% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.91 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Lower pay, lower costs, Omaha can be a reasonable trade-off for chemical engineerss who value affordability over top-dollar markets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for chemical engineers in metros near Omaha, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Wichita | $129K | $145K |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial | $128K | , |
| Kansas City | $102K | $111K |
| Boulder | $126K | , |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Omaha, NE-IA
Entry-level chemical engineers (10th percentile) start around $69K. Mid-career wages sit at $98K. Top earners bring in $157K or more, a $88K 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 with published data
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 Omaha numbers change.
Related careers in Engineering
Frequently asked questions
Can a chemical engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Omaha?
Yes — at the median salary of $98K, rent takes 22.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,368/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for chemical engineers in Omaha?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new chemical engineers typically earn — is $69K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,150/month. At HUD’s $1,368/month FMR, rent would take 33% 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 Omaha?
Local pay runs 21% below the national median — $98K here vs. $125K nationally. Cost of living is 8% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Omaha compare to the national average for chemical engineers?
Omaha pays $98K median vs. the U.S. average of $125K — that’s -21%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.91), the purchasing-power equivalent is $107K — below the national median.
How much do chemical engineers make in Omaha, NE-IA?
The median is $98,480 a year, that works out to about $47 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $69,160, and experienced chemical engineers can clear $156,890. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $98K enough to live in Omaha?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $6,087/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,368/month, which eats 22.5% 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 Omaha?
Omaha has a Regional Price Parity of 91.91 (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 $107,148 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.