Side-by-side distribution
Chemical Engineer
$105,000
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 47.2%
- Live roles
- 123
Mechanical Engineer
$135,000
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 43.3%
- Live roles
- 3,553
Highest-paying jobs
Staff Chemical Engineer
Mechanical Engineer IV - Wet Chemical Tool
Chemical/Mechanical Engineer
Senior Chemical Process Engineer
Senior Chemical Propulsion Engineer
Senior Chemical Engineer – Process Development
Chemical Delivery/Flow Control Device Quality Engineer E4
Chemical Process Engineer
Project Engineer (CAPITAL PROJECT MANAGEMENT) (CHEMICAL MANUFACTURING)
Senior Chemical Engineer – Process Technology
Highest-paying jobs
Staff Mechanical Engineer
Staff Mechanical Engineer - Data Center Cooling
Mechanical Engineer, Hardware Systems
Mechanical Engineer, PCBA Test Infrastructure, Robotics
Data Center Mechanical Engineer
Distinguished Technologist Mechanical Engineer (Network Infrastructure)
Senior Mechanical Controls Engineer
Staff Mechanical Engineer
Staff Mechanical Engineer
Mechanical Engineer, Dynamometer and Actuator Testing Infrastructure
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
Mitsubishi Chemical Group
|
$98,800 | 9 |
Barr Engineering
|
$78,000 | 8 |
KLA
|
$82,883 | 4 |
|
Applied Materials
|
$158,500 | 3 |
Samsung
|
$110,500 | 3 |
Solenis
|
$95,296 | 3 |
|
Apex Technology, Inc.
|
$155,000 | 2 |
|
Leidos
|
$116,344 | 2 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
Northrop Grumman
|
$121,650 | 107 |
Anduril Industries
|
$170,000 | 90 |
Blue Origin
|
$145,228 | 54 |
|
Applied Materials
|
$147,500 | 48 |
Mindrift
|
$76,960 | 46 |
|
KLA
|
$159,050 | 34 |
Syska Hennessy Group
|
$119,627 | 34 |
|
Leidos
|
$122,275 | 28 |
Mechanical Engineer salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $162,275 | 74 |
| Austin | $158,000 | 23 |
| Los Angeles | $150,000 | 70 |
| Boston | $149,250 | 21 |
| Seattle | $145,228 | 64 |
| Denver | $125,500 | 35 |
| New York | $125,000 | 33 |
| Chicago | $119,437 | 18 |
| Atlanta | $111,000 | 10 |
| London | $74,880 | 5 |
Chemical Engineer vs Mechanical Engineer: which pays more?
The median for Chemical Engineer is $105,000 per year (typically $86,809–$131,250), versus $135,000 for Mechanical Engineer ($107,500–$162,950). That puts Mechanical Engineer about 29% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so Chemical Engineer and Mechanical Engineer are compared on equal terms regardless of the currency each role was originally posted in. Only roles that publish a salary range feed the medians; numbers refresh every few hours as new roles post and older ones close, so this comparison reflects the market right now rather than a fixed survey. Use it as a directional benchmark when weighing one path against the other.