Chemical Engineers Salary
Chemical Engineers in Pennsylvania make a median of $116,970 a year, or about $56.23 an hour. The range runs from $80K at the entry level to $178K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.97), which stretches that salary to about $123,165 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,351/month, or 17.9% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Pennsylvania. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $117K actually covers in Pennsylvania, month by month
About chemical engineers
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What this looks like in Pennsylvania
Chemical engineers pay in Pennsylvania tracks closely to the national median, $117K locally vs. $125K nationwide, a 6% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,351/month, 18.6% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.97 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% 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, Pennsylvania
Entry-level chemical engineers (10th percentile) start around $80K. Mid-career wages sit at $117K. Top earners bring in $178K or more, a $98K spread from bottom to top.
Chemical Engineers salary by metro in Pennsylvania
3 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh | $152K | +30% | 110 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $128K | +9% | 790 |
| Reading | $100K | -14% | 50 |
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a chemical engineer afford a 2BR apartment alone in Pennsylvania?
Yes — at the median salary of $117K, rent takes 18.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,351/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for chemical engineers in Pennsylvania?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new chemical engineers typically earn — is $80K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,181/month. At HUD’s $1,351/month FMR, rent would take 26% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is chemical engineer a high-paying job in Pennsylvania?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $117K locally vs. $125K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does Pennsylvania compare to the national average for chemical engineers?
Pennsylvania pays $117K median vs. the U.S. average of $125K — that’s -6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $123K — below the national median.
How much do chemical engineers make in Pennsylvania?
The median is $116,970 a year, that works out to about $56 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $79,940, and experienced chemical engineers can clear $177,510. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $117K enough to live in Pennsylvania?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $7,257/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,351/month, which eats 18.6% 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 Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania has a Regional Price Parity of 94.97 (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 $123,165 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.