r/ChemicalEngineering • u/PreparationSmall8048 • Feb 28 '25

Salary EPC Salaries

Hi, I’ve been working at my licensing EPC firm for 3 yrs now. I’m not sure if I want to stay in this industry, my company doesn’t have many growth opportunities unless you have 7-8 YOE and the only route seems to be the technical SME route or maybe PM, with a salary cap at about 180k and that’s with 20-30 YOE. My personal goal would to reach that range sooner. I like what I do, but I think I would like to eventually move away from a dense technical role and being PM or going into leadership, but I feel like that would only be attainable around 6-7YOE.

Curious, if you have experience working at an EPC what has your salary progression been with your YOE. Do you anticipate to stay in this industry? Have you found a better role that works you?

I was hired after getting my Master’s degree, so technically putting me at 4 YOE. I started at 94k and am now at 110k with no bonuses offered. Located in Midwest.

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u/atmu2006 O&G/15+ Feb 28 '25

Start looking to move to the owner/operaror side. They pay much better at the 5-15 year range and you should see a significant bump in pay. There's always the option to go back to an EPC later which you will ladder faster than if you had stayed at the EPC the whole time. I've seen it 10s of times.

I started at an EPC for 8 years, made this realization and have been at an owner for the last 10. My move in 2015 was for a 58-77% raise depending on yearly variable compensation.

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u/PreparationSmall8048 Feb 28 '25

That’s an amazing bump, I’m glad that worked out for you! What exactly is meant by owner/operator side? Like working in operations/manufacturing? What does your day to day and WLB look like compared to working at EPC? I don’t think I would enjoy being committed to a single plant location and having to go in everyday or being on call. I enjoy the hybrid wfh policy and the office culture

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u/atmu2006 O&G/15+ Feb 28 '25

I'm in O&G. I started at a larger EPC firm as a process engineer, went to the field and did various things, moved back to the home office and did a rotational program with the goal to move into PM but could have stayed technical if I wanted as well. Then I left for a project engineering role which turned into a PM role.

Owner/operator think the big integrated companies: Exxon, Chevron, Shell, Total, downstream and midstream companies: Marathon, Valero, Air Products or chemical companies: Dow, Lyondell, BASF etc These are just examples as there are many others. These companies make something so when project work dries up you aren't scrambling to find a place.

Depending on your discipline it can be very similar work at an EPC or very different. If you want to tell me your major I can add a bit more specifics. Most companies have people dedicated to a single plant early on to get experience but also (typically) have a central engineering group that does projects at multiple locations either self engineering, using a EPC or both. There are also sometimes opportunities to work on major projects as well (heavy work with a EPC). I personally have done major project work all but a couple of years out of my career. I did have a couple of years where I had 3-5 small projects I was managing simultaneously.

Hybrid policies, 9/80 schedules etc are company specific. Some do it and some don't. I have never been on call personally.