Chemical Engineer Salary
A chemical engineer is a person who is responsible for creating the processes and machinery for transforming raw materials into chemicals. Along with the actual process of creating chemical compounds out of raw materials, the chemical engineer is also responsible for stream lining the process by creating machinery to perform these operations. They also now have a hand in the applications of these new chemical compounds. The average modern chemical engineer is responsible for making technology like the hydrogen fuel cell, alternative forms of energy, and even nanotechnology. The standard chemical engineer will often work in either the fuel industry, the medical field, or in other types of production. A chemical engineer can be in charge of everything from mapping the human genome to making better polyester.
The term chemical engineer has been around since the early 1800s, when the industrial revolution spawned various forms of chemical engineering. It is the modern day chemical engineer who works more on the stream-lining of the production process and the application of the chemical technologies.
To become a chemical engineer, you will need a college degree in the field. Most major universities offer chemical engineering degrees at the bachelor's, master's, and doctoral level. These degrees tend to aim their focus on chemistry, engineering, biology, physics, and mathematics. When starting out, it is best to gain additional education and experience in the specific field you would like to go into; i.e., biomedical, petroleum, paper, fabrics.
Most companies who hire chemical engineers often higher those with a doctorate, level degree, but work can be found at the master's level. To increase the likelihood of finding employment in a specific field, earning multiple degrees can greatly increase your employment potential. If you have a degree in chemical engineering and mathematics will have a higher probability of finding employment.
The average chemical engineer salary is around $58,500 for those fresh out of college with little to no experience, and tends to raise around $5,000 for every 5 years of experience gained. It is not uncommon for chemical engineers with over 20 years of experience to be pulling in close to $130,000, primarily depending on the type of chemical production and engineering you are involved with.
The fuel industry and the biomedical field tend to provide the highest average chemical engineer salary.
Those looking to become a chemical engineer should start their education early, taking a variety of math, science, and chemistry courses early in their education.
