Chemical Engineers pay range in Los Angeles
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $81,030 a year or less, while the top 10% make $202,690 or more. The middle half of chemical engineers in Los Angeles earn between $100,680 and $168,110.
- $81K10th
- $101K25th
- $134KMedian
- $168K75th
- $203K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $142,640 | $11,887 | $68.58 |
| Median | $134,210 | $11,184 | $64.52 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $100,680 | $8,390 | $48.40 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $168,110 | $14,009 | $80.82 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Chemical Engineers pay in Los Angeles vs. California and the U.S.
Chemical engineers in Los Angeles earn 10% more than the U.S. average ($129,980). At the median the gap is +7% against the U.S. median of $125,040.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | $142,640 | $134,210 | $81,030 | $202,690 | 320 |
| United States | $129,980 | $125,040 | $79,420 | $182,880 | 21,070 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Chemical Engineers salary after taxes in Los Angeles
On the average salary of $142,640, a single filer in Los Angeles takes home about $99,587 a year, or $8,299 a month and $3,830 every two weeks. Taxes take 30% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is Los Angeles a good place for chemical engineers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Los Angeles area are 14% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 113.6), so the average $142,640 buys what about $125,601 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.4 times the median wage of all jobs in Los Angeles ($55,850). A typical home costs $968,608, or 6.8 years of this average salary before tax.
Chemical Engineers salary in other California cities
Los Angeles ranks 1st of 2 California metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Los Angeles$142,640
- Riverside$116,630
Highest-paying cities for chemical engineers
Houston, TX pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($155,750).
- Houston, TX$155,750
- Austin, TX$149,140
- Dallas, TX$147,410
- Lake Charles, LA$144,900
- Trenton, NJ$144,720
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Chemical Engineers salary in Los Angeles: questions
How much do chemical engineers make an hour in Los Angeles?
$68.58 an hour on average, and $64.52 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level chemical engineers salary in Los Angeles?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $81,030 a year and the 25th percentile is $100,680, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the chemical engineers take-home pay in Los Angeles?
About $99,587 a year ($8,299 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $142,640. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do chemical engineers earn more in Los Angeles than elsewhere?
The average here is 10% more than the U.S. average for this job ($129,980).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 17-2041; area Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA (31080). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 29.2%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.37, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.37).
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