CEP is pleased to announce that the 2025 AIChE Salary Survey is now live until the end of February. The highly anticipated biennial survey aims to provide a detailed snapshot of the current chemical engineering job landscape and how it is evolving, revealing the latest trends and insights that will empower working chemical engineers to make informed decisions about salaries, benefits, and career development.
This edition of the Salary Survey will take a deep dive into lifestyle expectations. Survey results will investigate whether current salaries are enough to cover basic costs of living and the lifestyle habits and activities of the average chemical engineer. In addition, the survey will examine the ripple effects of layoffs across industries and their influence on the chemical engineering job market.
Past results
The 2023 AIChE Salary Survey revealed that the overall median salary for chemical engineers was $150,000, an increase of 8.3% from the previous iteration conducted in 2021. This upward trend is consistent with the overall positive trajectory observed in previous Salary Surveys, indicating a strong and growing demand for chemical engineering professionals. New graduates also experienced a boost in their starting salaries, with a median of $74,500, a 6.43% increase from the median starting salary of 2021.
Before adjusting for inflation, it appears that the median salary of chemical engineers has significantly increased over the past decades, according to information collected from past AIChE Salary Surveys.
However, when adjusting these numbers for inflation, the 2023 overall median salary for chemical engineers had approximately $9,000 less buying power than the 2021 overall median salary. This year, the Salary Survey will once again investigate how inflation has impacted the financial outlook of chemical engineers.
The 2023 Salary Survey focused on the movement known as the “Great Resignation,” a phenomenon where millions of Americans left their jobs in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic in search of higher wages and a better work-life balance. Although the chemical process industries were less affected by the Great Resignation than other fields, the survey found that 17% of respondents had left a job in 2021 and 2022. In addition, the survey revealed that 55% of those respondents who left a job were seeking a better company culture.
The 2023 Salary Survey focused on the “Great Resignation,” revealing that almost 20% of respondents had left a job in 2021 or 2022 — many of whom were seeking non-financial improvements.
Why participate?
The Salary Survey is one of the top benefits of AIChE membership, and input from chemical engineering professionals of all levels is highly valued. Participation in the survey will provide valuable data that benefits the entire chemical engineering community, helping to inform decisions about career development, education, and workforce planning. The survey is brief — it takes approximately ten minutes to complete — and responses are anonymous. The results of the Salary Survey will be published in the June 2025 issue of CEP. By contributing to the survey, chemical engineering professionals will be shaping the future of their profession and creating a more informed and equitable industry. More information on how to take the survey, including a useful section on frequently asked questions, is available at www.aiche.org/salary-survey.
Take the 2025 AIChE Salary Survey