The median annual wage of chemical engineers was $90,300 in May 2010. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $56,520, and the top 10 percent earned more than $139,670.
Median annual wages in the industries employing the largest numbers of chemical engineers in May 2010 were as follows:
| Scientific research and development services | $94,640 |
| Basic chemical manufacturing | 92,590 |
| Architectural, engineering, and related services | 91,010 |
| Pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing | 90,490 |
| Resin, synthetic rubber, and artificial synthetic fibers and filaments manufacturing | 84,940 |
Nearly all chemical engineers work full time.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2012-13 Edition