2017 AIChE Salary Survey: Overview

The results of AIChE’s biennial salary survey are in and they provide a mixed outlook of the chemical engineering profession.

The median annual salary of survey respondents working full-time is $124,000, which is 2.4% lower than the median of $127,000 reported in 2015. In comparison, the previous salary survey reported a 5.8% increase in median salary between 2013 and 2015 (Figure 1).

The decrease in median salary was unexpected. A factor contributing to the decline may be that this year’s survey was conducted by a different research and analysis firm. In taking a fresh look at the data and methodology, they identified several procedural changes that could improve the accuracy and reliability of the report. We feel that this year’s data provide a better baseline for future comparisons.

Median salaries ranged from $70,450 for chemical engineers with fewer than three years of experience to $156,000 for those with more than 40 years in the workforce. Numerous other factors — including age, gender, education, job function, and industry — were also examined for their impact on chemical engineers’ paychecks.

▲Figure 1. The median salary for chemical engineers decreased slightly in 2017.

You’ll notice that the look of this article differs from our previous salary survey articles. Here we provide a highly visual presentation of key data. AIChE members (and nonmember CEP subscribers) can access an expanded, more traditional version that provides additional data and discussion.

Median Salary by Year