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Median Salary by Year
The 2021 AIChE biennial salary survey was deployed in the midst of the global COVID-19 pandemic, after months of massive job loss and pay cuts, with businesses across the country struggling to stay afloat during mandated shutdowns and restrictions. Nevertheless, the results of the 2021 survey reveal positive growth for the chemical engineering profession in the U.S. The median annual salary for participants of the 2021 survey is $138,500 - an almost 10% increase over the 2019 median salary of $126,000.
In comparison, the 2019 salary survey reported a 1.6% increase in median salary between 2017 and 2019 (Figure 1). Despite global economic decline, the chemical engineering profession has continued its overall trend of rising salaries. From 2002 onward, salaries for chemical engineers have almost consistently increased.
However, although the salaries of AIChE members sustained positive growth during the onslaught of COVID-19, the pandemic has significantly affected the careers of many chemical engineers. This year, we found that 9% of respondents took time off due to COVID-19. In another poll conducted over email, 26% of 284 respondents reported taking time off (either voluntarily or not voluntarily) due to the pandemic.
This year, we accounted for how factors such as race, in addition to age, gender, education, industry, and geography, affect salaries. We also asked important questions about professionals hoping to go back to school.
Respondent Profile
AGE
When examining the age and gender distribution of survey participants this year, the largest cohort are aged over 56 years old (Figure 2). Out of 995 total respondents, 14% are 30 and under, 18% are 31-40 years of age. and 30% are 41-55 years of age. In the 2019 survey, the highest percentage of respondents were also aged 56+ (33%).
GENDER + NUMBER OF EMPLOYERS
The gender distribution of the survey participants is similar to the 2019 distribution - 21% are females, 77% are males, and 2% identify as other or preferred not to answer (Figure 3). Employees can work for many different companies before finding the right match; however, more than a quarter of respondents have only ever worked for one employer (Figure 4). 13% of respondents had more than six employers over their careers. 19% fell somewhere in the middle, working for...