The results of the 2025 AIChE Salary Survey are now available in the June 2025 issue of Chemical Engineering Progress (CEP). Deployed at the beginning of January 2025, the survey sought to gauge how the chemical engineering community fared during a time of economic uncertainty when many industries were facing layoffs and the cost of living fluctuated due to inflation. Despite these uncertainties, survey results reflected a positive outlook for chemical engineers.
Median salary
The median salary for chemical engineers as reported in the 2025 Salary Survey is $160,000. This is a 6.67% increase from the median salary of $150,000 reported in the previous iteration of the survey in 2023. As seen across previous surveys, the salaries of chemical engineers are consistent with a positive trend. The median salary for new graduates —$79,000 — also saw an increase of 6.04% from the 2023 survey. Chemical engineers who graduated in 2022, 2023, or 2024 reported having found their first job in approximately 4.3 months on average, a whole month sooner than what was reported in the previous iteration.
Education
Women made up 22% of the total respondent pool, while men made up 77%. The majority of the respondents of the 2025 Salary Survey hold a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering. 43% of respondents reported that their highest degree obtained was a bachelor’s degree, while 30% of respondents hold a PhD. Of those that earned a PhD, 24% of them are women. Those that hold a PhD have a median salary of $174,000, while the median salary of those who hold a bachelor’s degree was $147,000.
Lifestyle & job satisfaction
The Salary Survey investigated how the salaries of the chemical engineering profession measure up against the cost-of-living expenses and lifestyle expectations, such as entertainment, shopping, subscription services, etc. Majority of respondents reported that their salaries cover both areas. However, when it comes to job satisfaction, 15% of all respondents indicated that they are not satisfied with their current job or position. Over 50% of these respondents noted a lack of career growth and low salaries as reasons for dissatisfaction.
More statistics
For more data and findings, AIChE members can read and view the results of the 2025 Salary Survey in the June 2025 issue of CEP Magazine, both in print and online. Members can also view supplementary information with dozens more data tables online. The full survey results include:
- Median salary comparison adjusted for inflation
- Median salaries of respondents by race, gender, age and experience
- Median salaries by education level and supervisory responsibilities
- Median salaries of respondents by industry category and job function
- Median salaries of respondents by geographical location
The 2025 Salary Survey, as well as past Salary Surveys, are available exclusively to AIChE members. To view the survey, renew your AIChE membership today. Personalized reports are also available based on this year’s Salary Survey data, tailored to you and your company’s needs. For more information on these custom reports, contact sales@aiche.org.