Quick answer:Chemical Engineers in the Durham area earn a median $117,440 per year, below the national median of $125,040, and the metro employs about 110 of them (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Chemical Engineering Pay in Durham, NC
Metric
Durham metro
North Carolina
National
Median annual wage
$117,440
$117,410
$125,040
10th percentile
$82,520
$81,020
$79,420
25th percentile
$102,410
$95,920
$97,820
75th percentile
$143,040
$141,260
$157,190
90th percentile
$162,290
$168,610
$182,880
Employment
110
380
21,070
Location quotient
2.37
-
1.00
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Metro figures cover the Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metropolitan statistical area.
What the Numbers Say About This Market
The Durham median of $117,440 is below the national median of $125,040, and above the North Carolina statewide median of $117,410 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
The metro’s location quotient of 2.37 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.
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.
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.
How We Rank Schools
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.
LOCAL RANK
Location / proximity to this page
Defines the local group
Graduation rate
30%
Median earnings, 10 years after entry
25%
Average net price (lower is better)
20%
Retention rate
15%
Fully online availability
10%
Schools without enough federal outcome data appear after ranked schools, without a score.
Advertising never affects these rankings. Read the full methodology.
The median annual wage for chemical engineers in the Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro area is $117,440, below the national median of $125,040 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
How many chemical engineers work in the Durham area?
The Durham-Chapel Hill, NC metro area employs about 110 chemical engineers (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
Do chemical engineers in Durham need a license?
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.
Can I study chemical engineering online from Durham?
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.
Is Durham a better market than the rest of North Carolina?
The Durham metro median is $117,440 against a statewide median of $117,410 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Compare that gap with the difference in living costs before treating it as a raise.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 - Chemical Engineers (SOC 17-2041), national, state and metropolitan estimates
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections, 2024-34
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook - education and licensing requirements
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/.
