Chemical Engineer salary in Philadelphia, PA
Based on 42 certified H-1B filings in the Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD metro area, FY2025–FY2026. Includes Collegeville, Malvern, Newark, West Point, Fieldsboro.
Also listed as: Process Engineer
Salary range
| Percentile | Salary |
|---|---|
| 10th | $83,717 |
| 25th | $95,205 |
| 50th (median) | $107,325 |
| 75th | $124,363 |
| 90th | $145,633 |
Salary by year
Median salary
Filings per year
Show as table
| Fiscal year | Median | P25 | P75 | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2020 | $84,500 | $73,174 | $120,000 | 17 |
| FY2021 | $99,311 | $82,431 | $109,070 | 24 |
| FY2022 | $109,500 | $100,381 | $124,529 | 26 |
| FY2023 | $100,000 | $89,750 | $116,355 | 23 |
| FY2024 | $105,000 | $97,718 | $115,066 | 21 |
| FY2025 | $102,600 | $90,351 | $120,411 | 30 |
| FY2026 | $124,363 | $104,395 | $129,531 | 12 |
Cost of living
Philadelphia's median Chemical Engineer salary of $107,325 is worth about $104,700 at national average prices.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024 (U.S. = 100; Philadelphia = 102.6).
Compared with all workers here
All Chemical Engineers in the Philadelphia, PA area earned a median of $127,770 in May 2025 (790 employed). The H-1B median here is $107,325, 16% lower.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS metropolitan area estimates. BLS wages include some incentive pay; H-1B figures are base salary.
Top employers filing
| Employer | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Merck Sharp & Dohme | too few | 4 |
| GlaxoSmithKline | too few | 3 |
| Jacobs Engineering Group | too few | 3 |
| Janssen Research & Development | too few | 3 |
| Albanese Solutions | too few | 2 |
| Arencibia | too few | 2 |
| Rohm and Haas Chemicals | too few | 2 |
| STA Pharmaceutical | too few | 2 |
| The Dow Chemical Company | too few | 2 |
Employers with at least 2 filings here. Median shown at 10+ filings.
By experience level
| Wage level | Median | Filings |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $87,445 | 14 |
| Mid-level · Level II | – | 0 |
| Senior · Level III | $124,363 | 13 |
| Expert · Level IV | too few | 2 |
Median shown when a level has at least 10 filings.
Minimum H-1B salary by level
| Wage level | Prevailing wage (most common) | Median offered salary | Filings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-level · Level I | $83,574 | $87,445 | 14 |
| Senior · Level III | $120,411 | $124,363 | 13 |
The prevailing wage is the minimum an employer must pay for this job and area. Amounts vary by county within a metro and by wage source.