r/ChemicalEngineering • u/Illustrious-Art-55 • 14d ago

Salary Why are chemical engineers paid so less?

They work at dangerous sites, their work includes many complex operations, its way more complex then writing some code in AC room and the companies they work for? They earn in millions, still Chemical engineers are not paid good say in terms of IT industry or even automobile for that matter.

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u/AICHEngineer 14d ago

Is it? I just hit six figures at 25 yrs old, chemE class of 22, moved on to my second job after 2-3 yrs experience

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u/Illustrious-Art-55 14d ago

Really? Where do you work at? I would love to know your roadmap. Thanks

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u/AICHEngineer 14d ago

Got a bachelors, graduated making 78k at an EPC doing midstream O&G/Chemicals like ammonia and fuels like LNG and LPG, got a few 5-6% raises, job hopped to L/MCOL midwest metro for another EPC company, working in the power sector now

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u/AICHEngineer 14d ago

Very common in the USA for a chemical engineer to graduate and immediately make the average household income as a new grad. Thats a big ROI for paying for a bachelors degree. Then you get paid more as you gain experience and can parlay into higher wages via job hops

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u/MuddyflyWatersman 11d ago edited 7d ago

higher wages come with time. you really have to get promoted to get a real raise and every time you get promoted those raises compound each other. by the time you're 65 you will be making 2 to 3 times this starting salary ... due to compounding of promotional raises even if you only get inflation the rest of the time.