Chemical Engineers Salary
Chemical Engineers in Virginia make a median of $136,380 a year, or about $65.57 an hour. The range runs from $93K at the entry level to $177K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.79), which stretches that salary to about $143,876 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,646/month, or 19.9% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Virginia. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $136K actually covers in Virginia, month by month
About chemical engineers
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What this looks like in Virginia
Chemical engineers pay in Virginia tracks closely to the national median, $136K locally vs. $125K nationwide, a 9% difference. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,646/month, 20.4% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.79 (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, Virginia
Entry-level chemical engineers (10th percentile) start around $93K. Mid-career wages sit at $136K. Top earners bring in $177K or more, a $84K spread from bottom to top.
Chemical Engineers salary by metro in Virginia
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Richmond | $117K | -14% | 60 |
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Virginia 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 Virginia?
Yes — at the median salary of $136K, rent takes 20.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,646/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for chemical engineers in Virginia?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new chemical engineers typically earn — is $93K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $5,724/month. At HUD’s $1,646/month FMR, rent would take 29% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is chemical engineer a high-paying job in Virginia?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $136K locally vs. $125K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does Virginia compare to the national average for chemical engineers?
Virginia pays $136K median vs. the U.S. average of $125K — that’s +9%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.79), the purchasing-power equivalent is $144K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do chemical engineers make in Virginia?
The median is $136,380 a year, that works out to about $66 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $92,540, and experienced chemical engineers can clear $176,950. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $136K enough to live in Virginia?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $8,054/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,646/month, which eats 20.4% 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 Virginia?
Virginia has a Regional Price Parity of 94.79 (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 $143,876 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.