Quick answer: Chemical Engineers in the Grand Rapids area earn a median $114,800 per year, below the national median of $125,040, and the metro employs about 100 of them (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
| Metric | Grand Rapids metro | Michigan | National |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median annual wage | $114,800 | $103,230 | $125,040 |
| 10th percentile | $80,610 | $63,930 | $79,420 |
| 25th percentile | $95,870 | $82,250 | $97,820 |
| 75th percentile | $152,170 | $125,410 | $157,190 |
| 90th percentile | $164,990 | $155,420 | $182,880 |
| Employment | 100 | 670 | 21,070 |
| Location quotient | 1.23 | - | 1.00 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Metro figures cover the Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI metropolitan statistical area.
The Grand Rapids median of $114,800 is below the national median of $125,040, and above the Michigan statewide median of $103,230 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The metro’s location quotient of 1.23 means chemical engineers are more concentrated here than in the average U.S. labor market (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Higher concentration generally means more employers competing for the same people, and an easier job change later.
Chemical engineering employment concentrates around refining, chemical and pharmaceutical corridors rather than following population.
| Metro area | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Detroit | $104,230 | 220 |
Figures: BLS OEWS, May 2025.
Licensing is a state matter, not a city one. Chemical engineering uses the standard Professional Engineer framework the state boards administer: an ABET-accredited degree, the NCEES Fundamentals of Engineering exam, qualifying experience and the PE exam. Most chemical engineers work inside operating companies under what is commonly called the industrial exemption and never license, so ABET accreditation matters more than the PE for most careers in this discipline.
See the Michigan licensing and pay overview for the statewide picture, and confirm current requirements with your state engineering licensing board.
Schools in our database near this area, ranked by BOC Score. The list favors schools with a related program on record, but program availability and delivery format change, so confirm directly with any school that it currently offers the program you want.
We first gather the schools closest to the city or state page you are viewing, then rank that local group by BOC Score, with the highest at the top. The BOC Score is computed from federal IPEDS and College Scorecard data; schools without enough data to score appear last.
Schools without enough federal outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score. Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
Source: ACCSC IPEDS College Scorecard
The median annual wage for chemical engineers in the Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI metro area is $114,800, below the national median of $125,040 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI metro area employs about 100 chemical engineers (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Licensing is handled at state level rather than by city. Chemical engineering uses the standard Professional Engineer framework the state boards administer: an ABET-accredited degree, the NCEES Fundamentals of Engineering exam, qualifying experience and the PE exam. Most chemical engineers work inside operating companies under what is commonly called the industrial exemption and never license, so ABET accreditation matters more than the PE for most careers in this discipline. Confirm current requirements with your state engineering licensing board.
The academic portion of these programs is widely available online for working adults, while labs, clinical hours or supervised field work are completed in person. Check that the program's accreditation satisfies your state engineering licensing board.
The Grand Rapids metro median is $114,800 against a statewide median of $103,230 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Compare that gap with the difference in living costs before treating it as a raise.
Wage and employment figures describe the occupation as measured by the Bureau of Labor Statistics, not the graduates of any particular program, and individual outcomes may vary. Licensing rules change; confirm current requirements with the responsible state board before enrolling.
About this guide: Researched and written by the TradeCareerPath Editorial Team. Our editorial team researches and sources every trade school and career guide using federal labor and education data, including BLS OEWS and Employment Projections, DOL apprenticeship records, IPEDS, College Scorecard, and state licensing boards. We follow the editorial standards documented at /editorial-policy/.
