Chemical Engineers pay range in Portland
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $92,870 a year or less, while the top 10% make $169,770 or more. The middle half of chemical engineers in Portland earn between $109,050 and $164,390.
- $93K10th
- $109K25th
- $132KMedian
- $164K75th
- $170K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $135,950 | $11,329 | $65.36 |
| Median | $131,690 | $10,974 | $63.31 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $109,050 | $9,088 | $52.43 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $164,390 | $13,699 | $79.03 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Chemical Engineers pay in Portland vs. Oregon and the U.S.
Chemical engineers in Portland earn 12% more than the Oregon average ($121,660) and 5% more than the U.S. average ($129,980). At the median the gap is +5% against the U.S. median of $125,040.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Portland | $135,950 | $131,690 | $92,870 | $169,770 | 70 |
| Oregon | $121,660 | $116,950 | $83,080 | $166,610 | 140 |
| 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 Portland
On the average salary of $135,950, a single filer in Portland takes home about $93,093 a year, or $7,758 a month and $3,581 every two weeks. Taxes take 32% of gross pay.
The Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in WA | $104,188 | $8,682 |
| Working in OR | $93,093 | $7,758 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). Portland-area Metro and Multnomah County taxes and the 0.1% statewide transit tax are not included.
Is Portland a good place for chemical engineers? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Portland area are 5% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 105.4), so the average $135,950 buys what about $128,959 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 2.2 times the median wage of all jobs in Portland ($60,690). A typical home costs $552,022, or 4.1 years of this average salary before tax.
Chemical Engineers salary in nearby metro areas
- Seattle, WA$129,180
- Kennewick, WA$137,890
- Salt Lake City, UT$98,590
- Ogden, UT$107,150
- Provo, UT$84,840
- Los Angeles, CA$142,640
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 Portland: questions
How much do chemical engineers make an hour in Portland?
$65.36 an hour on average, and $63.31 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level chemical engineers salary in Portland?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $92,870 a year and the 25th percentile is $109,050, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the chemical engineers take-home pay in Portland?
About $93,093 a year ($7,758 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $135,950. Portland-area Metro and Multnomah County taxes and the 0.1% statewide transit tax are not included.
Do chemical engineers earn more in Portland than elsewhere?
The average here is 5% 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 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA (38900). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 4.3%.
- 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). Portland-area Metro and Multnomah County taxes and the 0.1% statewide transit tax are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.42, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.42).
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