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Chemical Engineer - Federal Salaries of 2021
Pay Rates for "Chemical Engineer"
How much does a Chemical Engineer in the federal government get paid? $128,167.86* *Based on the 2021 average.Chemical Engineer was the 302nd most popular job in the U.S. Government in 2021, with 270 employed. The most common payscale was the general schedule payscale.
In 2021, the Environmental Protection Agency hired the most employees titled Chemical Engineering, with an average salary of $132,851.
Government Chemical Engineering jobs are classified under the General Schedule (GS) payscale. The minimum paygrade for a Chemical Engineering job is GS-6, and the highest paygrade that can be attained within this job series is GS-15. Remember that the starting and maximum yearly pay listed above reflect base pay only - your actual salary will be higher based on the Locality Pay Adjustment for the area in which you work.
Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) professions fall under this job category. Due to the growing focus of them STEM fields, individuals in this job category tend to advance more quickly than employees in the other job categories. Jobs in this category are being added quickly and many organizations have trouble finding qualified individuals. Individuals in this job category typically recieve pormotions of 2 grade increases at a time until they reach GS-12.
Agencies that have hired a Chemical Engineer
Chemical Engineer Pay Distribution
The average pay for a Chemical Engineer is $128,167.86. The highest paid Chemical Engineer made $250,204 in 2021.
Common Chemical Engineer Payscales
| Payscale | Number of Chemical Engineering Employees |
|---|---|
| GS - General Schedule | 177 |
| ZP - Scientific And Engineering Professional | 57 |
| RG - Scientists Appointed As Fellows And Compensated Under 42 U.s.c. 209(g). Includes Non-citizens Whose Employment | 18 |
| EF - Consultant (5 U.s.c. 3109) | 5 |
| EH - Advisory Committee Member (5 U.s.c. 3109) | 5 |
| AD - Administratively Determined Rates, Not Elsewhere Specified | 5 |
| GG - Grades Similar To General Schedule | 2 |
| EI - Advisory Committee Member (other) | 1 |
| Starting Paygrade: | $36,070.00 / year base pay at paygrade GS-6, Step 1 |
| Maximum Paygrade: | $152,771.00 / year base pay at paygrade GS-15, Step 10 |
| Category: | Professional and Scientific |
| Occupation Family: | 0800 ENGINEERING AND ARCHITECTURE GROUP |
Other Jobs at the GS-6 Paygrade
GS-6 is the starting paygrade for Chemical Engineering jobs. Here are some other Federal Government jobs that can be held by employees at the GS-6 paygrade.
| Occupation | Occupation Category | Starting Paygrade | Maximum Paygrade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Internal Revenue Officer | Administrative and Management | GS-4 | GS-15 |
| Voucher Examining | Clerical and Administrative Support | GS-1 | GS-9 |
| Instructional Systems | Professional and Scientific | GS-6 | GS-15 |
| Health System Specialist | Administrative and Management | GS-4 | GS-15 |
| Museum Curator | Professional and Scientific | GS-6 | GS-15 |
Average Chemical Engineering Pay Trend from 2004 to 2021
In 2004, the average pay for a Chemical Engineer was $91,140. Since then, the average pay has increased to $128,168 in 2021.
Data Sources
The information provided on these pages is sourced from the Office of Personnel Management (OPM) 
Enterprise Human Resources Integration (EHRI) dataset. Postal Service data is managed exclusively by the USPS . All information is displayed unmodified and as provided by the source agency.
Federal employee salaries are public information under open government laws (5 U.S.C. § 552). FederalPay provides this data in the interest of government transparency — employee data may not be used for commercial soliciting or vending of any kind. Learn more about the FederalPay Employees Dataset here.
The series code of this occupation is 0893.