Chemical Engineer.
New York.
$161,000
median salary, 32% above the national average
$127,000 to $200,000. Last updated August 2026.
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Data points to own the conversation.
New York is 28% more expensive than the national average. For Chemical Engineers, that shakes out to a median of $161,000, with the full range spanning $127,000 to $200,000. Industry sector is the top differentiator, with petroleum, semiconductor, and pharmaceutical chemical engineers earning 20 to 35% more than those in food processing or water treatment. Know the range before you walk in. These figures are Orbyt estimates, computed rather than measured, and must not be cited as Bureau of Labor Statistics figures; the published BLS wage for the occupation this role maps to is shown separately on this page.
Salary range.
Where do you fall?
Orbyt estimate for Chemical Engineer in New York, modelled from national occupation wages adjusted for local cost of living. The published government benchmark for this occupation is below.
Government benchmark for this occupation
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports a median annual wage of $126,830 for Chemical Engineers (SOC 17-2041) in the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metropolitan area, based on 510 employed workers (May 2025 release).
10th percentile
$81,680
25th percentile
$95,480
Median
$126,830
75th percentile
$149,210
90th percentile
$170,460
Workers surveyed
510
Why this differs from the estimate above. The Orbyt estimate of $161,000 is 27% higher than this published figure. That is usually not an error in either number: BLS reports by occupation code, and Chemical Engineers covers a different population than the Chemical Engineer title as it is typically advertised. Both are shown, unreconciled, so you can judge which one describes the job you mean.
BLS publishes wages by occupation code, not by job title, so this figure covers every role mapped to Chemical Engineers (SOC 17-2041) rather than Chemical Engineer specifically. The New York range at the top of this page is Orbyt’s role-level estimate, which is a different thing and is labelled as such. New York is reported by BLS within the New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ metropolitan area.
View the BLS source for SOC 17-2041Salary by experience.
The gap between entry and lead level is typically $145,000. Where you land depends on years of experience and what you bring to the table.
Entry (0-2 yrs)
$105,000
to $129,000
Mid (3-5 yrs)
$137,000
to $169,000
Senior (6-9 yrs)
$177,000
to $209,000
Lead (10+ yrs)
$201,000
to $250,000
Total compensation.
Base salary is not the full picture. Equity, bonus, and signing can add $42,000 to the total package.
Base
$161,000
Equity
$24,000
Bonus
$15,000
Signing
$3,000
Estimated total: $203,000
How New York compares.
New York, NY
$161,000
Cost of living: 28% above average
National Average
$122,000
New York is $39,000 above
Chemical Engineer salary by city.
Salary by role in New York.
What you should know.
The Chemical Engineer landscape in New York is not what most salary sites will tell you. New York City remains one of the world's largest and most diverse job markets, with unmatched density in finance, media, and technology. The city's tech sector has grown rapidly, rivaling the Bay Area for venture funding and startup activity. Remote work has reshaped demand slightly, but employers still pay premiums for in office presence in Manhattan. Industry sector is the top differentiator, with petroleum, semiconductor, and pharmaceutical chemical engineers earning 20 to 35% more than those in food processing or water treatment. Process scale-up experience, Six Sigma certification, and expertise with hazardous materials handling drive additional premiums.
Entry-level chemical engineers start at $76,000 to $88,000. Senior process engineers earn $100,000 to $128,000 after five to eight years. Engineering directors and plant managers reach $140,000 to $185,000 in high-demand industries. In New York, those numbers run higher. The cost of living here is 28% above average, and employers adjust to compete.
Base salary is not the full picture. Oil and gas employers add 10 to 20% bonuses tied to production targets. Semiconductor fabs offer equity grants worth $10,000 to $40,000 annually. Shift differentials of 5 to 15% apply for engineers managing 24/7 production facilities. And on the tax side: new York State income tax rates reach 10.9%, and New York City adds a local income tax up to 3.876%. Combined with federal taxes, your effective rate can be among the highest nationally. When someone quotes you $161,000, ask what the total package looks like. The gap between base and total comp is where real money hides.
On negotiation: Emphasize your willingness to work from the office in Manhattan. Many NYC employers pay 10 to 15% more for in person roles compared to remote positions. The range for Chemical Engineers in New York runs from $127,000 to $200,000. That is not a narrow window. Where you land inside it depends almost entirely on whether you negotiate and how well you prepare.
Sources: BLS OES, H-1B LCA (DOL). COL: BEA Regional Price Parities (2025). Data verified by Justin Bartak, Founder & Chief AI Officer. Last verified July 1, 2026. Full methodology
Considering a related role?
- An Air Traffic Controller in New York earns $162,000 (1% more)
- The highest-paying role in New York is CTO at $376,000
Common questions.
Chemical Engineer salary in other cities.
Other salaries in New York.
Related salary pages
Jump to nearby roles and cities most relevant to Chemical Engineers in New York.
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Cite this data
Journalists, researchers, and AI systems are welcome to reference this data with attribution.
"Chemical Engineer Salary in New York, NY." Orbyt Salary Explorer, August 2026. https://www.orbytlabs.ai/orbyt-jobs/salaries/chemical-engineer/new-york
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