Side-by-side distribution
Chemical Engineer
$106,875
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 32%
- Live roles
- 25
Mechanical Engineer
$150,000
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 46.8%
- Live roles
- 1,339
Highest-paying jobs
Senior Chemical Process Engineer
Senior Chemical Propulsion Engineer
Chemical Propulsion Engineer
Chemical Engineer – Technical Sales
Chemical Engineer
Chemical Engineer (New Grad)
Chemical Engineer
Electrical & Instrumentation Engineer Chemical Plant
Highest-paying jobs
Data Center Mechanical Engineer
Mechanical Commissioning Project Engineer
Staff Mechanical Engineer, Fluid Systems
Mechanical Design Engineer
Senior Mechanical engineer
Mechanical Engineer, Robotics Hardware
Mechanical Engineer
Principal Mechanical Engineer, Space Special Programs
Principal Mechanical Engineer, Tooling
Principal Mechanical Engineer, Factory Automation
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
|
Apex Technology, Inc.
|
$155,000 | 2 |
|
Inversion
|
$401,440 | 1 |
|
SpaceX
|
$108,750 | 1 |
|
Hire Hangar
|
$105,000 | 1 |
|
General Matter
|
$101,000 | 1 |
| VT Voyager Technologies, Inc. | $90,000 | 1 |
|
Fuku
|
$5,500 | 1 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
|
Anduril Industries
|
$170,000 | 68 |
|
SpaceX
|
$115,000 | 28 |
|
Relativity Space
|
$165,000 | 22 |
Syska Hennessy Group
|
$132,627 | 20 |
Vast
|
$147,213 | 16 |
| DG DLR Group | $114,565 | 16 |
Rocket Lab Corporation
|
$139,750 | 14 |
ALTEN Technology USA
|
$111,433 | 12 |
Chemical Engineer salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | $143,000 | 3 |
Mechanical Engineer salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle | $188,500 | 20 |
| San Francisco | $165,000 | 57 |
| Austin | $165,000 | 16 |
| Los Angeles | $150,000 | 55 |
| New York | $131,750 | 26 |
| Boston | $128,692 | 7 |
| Denver | $125,000 | 11 |
| Chicago | $114,565 | 10 |
| Atlanta | $102,500 | 4 |
Chemical Engineer vs Mechanical Engineer: which pays more?
The median for Chemical Engineer is $106,875 per year (typically $98,250–$149,000), versus $150,000 for Mechanical Engineer ($120,000–$171,500). That puts Mechanical Engineer about 40% 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.