Quick answer: Chemical Engineers in Pennsylvania earn a median $116,970 per year, below the national median of $125,040 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The state employs about 810 of them. Licensing runs through your state engineering licensing board.
| Metric | Pennsylvania | National | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median annual wage | $116,970 | $125,040 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| 10th percentile | $79,940 | $79,420 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| 25th percentile | $91,520 | $97,820 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| 75th percentile | $168,060 | $157,190 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| 90th percentile | $177,510 | $182,880 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Employment | 810 | 21,070 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Location quotient | 0.98 | 1.00 | BLS OEWS, May 2025 |
| Projected change (2024-34) | not published by state | 2.6% | BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34 |
The Pennsylvania median of $116,970 sits below the national median of $125,040 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Percentiles matter more than the midpoint when you are deciding whether a degree pays for itself: the 10th percentile is roughly where people start, and the 90th is what the top of the local market looks like after years of experience.
A location quotient of 0.98 puts Pennsylvania slightly below the national average, so the occupation is a little less common here than in the typical state (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The measure compares how concentrated the occupation is here against the national average of 1.00.
| Metro area | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Pittsburgh | $152,290 | 110 |
| Philadelphia | $127,770 | 790 |
| Reading | $100,190 | 50 |
Figures: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Chemical engineering employment concentrates around refining, chemical and pharmaceutical corridors rather than following population.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics ( OES data), chemical engineers wages in Pennsylvania vary by metro area.
| Metro Area | Employment | Median Annual Wage | Avg. Annual Wage | Entry Level (10th pctile) | Experienced (90th pctile) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | 790 | $127,770 | $128,970 | $79,940 | $176,650 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | 160 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Pittsburgh | 110 | $152,290 | $139,050 | $89,940 | $174,940 |
| Reading | 50 | $100,190 | $107,820 | $78,220 | $164,790 |
Wages reflect survey data and vary based on experience, credentials, employer, and local market conditions. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May .
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.
Requirements are set at state level and are amended periodically. Before you enroll in any program, confirm with your state engineering licensing board that the specific program you are considering satisfies the education requirement, and ask what it accepts from any training you have already completed. Get the answer in writing.
Most people reading this already have a job in the field, and the practical question is whether the credential can be earned without leaving it. Programs designed for working adults deliver the academic portion online or in the evening, while any labs, clinical hours or supervised field experience happen in person and locally. Prior college credit, military training, apprenticeship coursework and industry certifications can all shorten the path, so request a written transfer credit evaluation before you commit to any school.
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 Pennsylvania is $116,970, below the national median of $125,040 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle of the range runs from $91,520 at the 25th percentile to $168,060 at the 75th.
Pennsylvania holds about 810 chemical engineer jobs (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Nationally the occupation employs 21,070, and BLS projects about 1,100 openings per year through 2034 (BLS Employment Projections, 2024-34).
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. Requirements are set at the state level and change periodically, so confirm the current rules with your state engineering licensing board before you enroll in any program.
Often yes. Programs built for working adults deliver coursework online or in the evenings, though any required labs, clinical hours or supervised field experience are completed in person. Confirm that the program's accreditation satisfies your state engineering licensing board.
Among Pennsylvania metro areas with published data, Pittsburgh reports the highest median at $152,290 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
On pay, the state median of $116,970 sits below the national $125,040 (BLS OEWS, May 2025). A location quotient of 0.98 means the occupation is less concentrated here than in the average state. Weigh that against cost of living and how concentrated the work is near where you actually want to live.
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/.
