Chemical Engineers pay range in Denver
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $79,600 a year or less, while the top 10% make $196,180 or more. The middle half of chemical engineers in Denver earn between $100,780 and $152,730.
- $80K10th
- $101K25th
- $128KMedian
- $153K75th
- $196K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $127,710 | $10,642 | $61.40 |
| Median | $128,110 | $10,676 | $61.59 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $100,780 | $8,398 | $48.45 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $152,730 | $12,728 | $73.43 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Chemical Engineers pay in Denver vs. Colorado and the U.S.
Chemical engineers in Denver earn about the same as the Colorado average ($126,060) and about the same as the U.S. average ($129,980). At the median the gap is +2% against the U.S. median of $125,040.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver | $127,710 | $128,110 | $79,600 | $196,180 | 410 |
| Colorado | $126,060 | $125,800 | $80,130 | $188,640 | 720 |
| 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 Denver
On the average salary of $127,710, a single filer in Denver takes home about $93,645 a year, or $7,804 a month and $3,602 every two weeks. Taxes take 27% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Colorado's FAMLI premium and the flat monthly occupational privilege taxes of Denver, Aurora and a few other cities are not included.
Is Denver a good place for chemical engineers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Denver area are 6% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 105.8), so the average $127,710 buys what about $120,729 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.1 times the median wage of all jobs in Denver ($62,320). A typical home costs $573,221, or 4.5 years of this average salary before tax.
Chemical Engineers salary in other Colorado cities
Denver ranks 1st of 3 Colorado metro areas for this job, the best-paid in the state.
- Denver$127,710
- Boulder$126,810
- Fort Collins$123,690
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 Denver: questions
How much do chemical engineers make an hour in Denver?
$61.40 an hour on average, and $61.59 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level chemical engineers salary in Denver?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $79,600 a year and the 25th percentile is $100,780, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the chemical engineers take-home pay in Denver?
About $93,645 a year ($7,804 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $127,710. Colorado's FAMLI premium and the flat monthly occupational privilege taxes of Denver, Aurora and a few other cities are not included.
Do chemical engineers earn more in Denver than elsewhere?
The average here is about the same as 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 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO (19740). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.1%.
- 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 (2026 rules). Colorado's FAMLI premium and the flat monthly occupational privilege taxes of Denver, Aurora and a few other cities are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.88, this job is 1.9 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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