Chemical Engineers in California. BLS OES + DOL OFLC + reader-reported submissions. How this is built →
2025 wage data not published for chemical engineers in California
The Bureau of Labor Statistics suppresses wage estimates when the surveyed cell has too few employers to publish a figure without revealing individual firm pay. The privacy redaction happens upstream, before the data reaches us.
BLS still reports an estimated 2,190 workers in this role in California in 2025.
Use national figures and adjacent states below as a reference, or check BLS confidentiality rules for context.
Salary distribution
Where California chemical engineers fall on the wage curve.
Distribution not available
The Bureau of Labor Statistics suppresses wage percentiles for this occupation and state when the surveyed cell has too few employers to publish without revealing individual firm pay. National figures and adjacent states below remain a useful reference.
Chemical Engineers in California: actual employer-disclosed pay
Public records from 223 certified H-1B Labor Condition Applications filed with the U.S. Department of Labor. Median offered wage: $130,000. Every figure below is an actual offered salary an employer attested to under federal law.
By DOL wage level
DOL classifies every offer into one of four wage levels based on the role's experience and skill requirements.
| Level | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|
| Level I — entry | 22 | $90,646 |
| Level II — qualified | 49 | $110,781 |
| Level III — experienced | 65 | $143,021 |
| Level IV — fully competent | 54 | $165,000 |
Top employers filing for this role
Companies with the most certified filings for Chemical Engineers in California. Median offer is across all of that employer's filings.
| Employer | Most-filed title | Filings | Median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Western Digital Technologies, Inc. | Principal Engineer, Hardware Development Engineering | 17 | $162,344 |
| Tesla, Inc. | Sr Materials Engineer | 13 | $145,000 |
| Applied Materials, Inc | Process Engineer | 11 | $148,154 |
| Amgen Inc. | Associate Director Engineering | 10 | $144,985 |
| Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory | Chemist Research Scientist/Engineer | 8 | $95,448 |
| University of California, Berkeley | Postdoctoral Scholar Employee | 7 | $78,786 |
| The Leland Stanford, Jr University | Postdoctoral Research Affiliate | 6 | $76,547 |
| Apple Inc. | Battery Algorithm Simulation Engineer | 5 | $151,070 |
| QuantumScape Battery, Inc. | SMTS, Manager | 5 | $129,085 |
| University of California, Los Angeles | Postdoctoral Scholar | 5 | $77,179 |
Recent sample filings
A snapshot of recent certified offers. Each line is a real, public, verifiable record.
- Sr. Principal Research & Development Engineer at Enovix Corporation$150,467FremontWage Level IVDecided —I-200-26084-728703
- PRODUCT MANAGER at KOMAX SYSTEMS, INC.$135,000HUNTINGTON BEACHWage Level IIIDecided Mar 30, 2026I-200-26082-723610
- SMTS, Manager at QuantumScape Battery, Inc.$151,070San JoseWage Level IIIDecided Mar 26, 2026I-200-26079-717228
- Postdoctoral Scholar Research Associate in Chemical Eng. at California Institute of Technology$72,723PasadenaDecided Mar 26, 2026I-200-26078-716099
- Postdoctoral Scholar Employee at University of California, Berkeley$84,415BerkeleyDecided Mar 20, 2026I-200-26072-703433
- Senior Specialist Process Engineering at Worley Group, Inc.$250,349Pleasant HillWage Level IVDecided Mar 17, 2026I-200-26069-693989
- JBEI Postdoctoral Associate – Computational Chem Engineering at NTESS, LLC$103,164EmeryvilleWage Level IDecided Mar 16, 2026I-200-26068-688693
- Phosphor R&D Engineer at Intematix Corporation$93,712FremontWage Level IDecided Mar 16, 2026I-200-26068-689269
Source: U.S. Department of Labor, Office of Foreign Labor Certification. Disclosed wages reflect what employers attested to pay; actual paid wages may differ. Only certified filings are shown — denied and withdrawn cases are excluded.
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Chemical Engineers pay by experience level in California
Each band reflects DOL Wage Levels I-IV mapped onto a four-step ladder. Click a level to see the disclosed-wage range for that segment.
Chemical Engineers specialties in California
Real specialty titles employers file for, clustered from 114 certified offers. The most common variant is Principal Engineer, Hardware Development Engineering at a median of $149,752.
| Specialty | Top employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Principal Engineer, Hardware Development Engineering | Western Digital Technologies, Inc. | 32 | $149,752 |
| Process Engineer | Applied Materials, Inc | 32 | $143,350 |
| Postdoctoral Scholar Employee | University of California, Berkeley | 8 | $74,425 |
| Chemical Engineer | CheAI Research Inc. | 8 | $105,009 |
| Principal Scientist | 10x Genomics, Inc. | 6 | $136,510 |
| Sr Materials Engineer | Tesla, Inc. | 6 | $167,500 |
| Postdoctoral Scholar | University of California, Los Angeles | 6 | $71,771 |
| Research and Development Engineer | University of California, Los Angeles | 4 | $109,000 |
| SMTS, Manager | QuantumScape Battery, Inc. | 3 | $151,070 |
| Sr. Chemical Process Engineer | Tesla, Inc. | 3 | $128,280 |
| Sr. Manufacturing Planner/Scheduler | Thermo Fisher Scientific, Inc. | 3 | $151,070 |
| Process Development Senior Scientist | Amgen Inc. | 3 | $138,445 |
Specialties with 10 or more filings link to a dedicated breakdown.
Chemical Engineers in California, by industry
Median offered wage across 221 certified filings, grouped by NAICS industry sector. Manufacturing leads with a median of $147,410.
| Industry | Largest employer | Filings | Median offer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | Western Digital Technologies, Inc. | 119 | $147,410 |
| Professional services | Amgen Inc. | 64 | $122,674 |
| Education | University of California, Berkeley | 26 | $76,547 |
| Energy and utilities | Searles Valley Minerals, Inc. | 7 | $101,899 |
| Technology and software | AVEVA SOFTWARE, LLC | 3 | $112,000 |
| Healthcare | Vibrant America LLC | 1 | $123,490 |
| Retail and wholesale | Sumecht NA, Inc. | 1 | $84,000 |
Sectors with at least 25 filings link to a dedicated page with full distribution and sample employer breakdown.
Wage trend
Median annual wage in California over the past 3 BLS OES releases. Real values are CPI-adjusted to 2025 dollars.
Typical entry
Education
Bachelor's degree
Experience
None
On-the-job training
None
Top skills (O*NET)
- 5.0 / 5
Engineering and Technology
Knowledge
- 4.8 / 5
Mathematics
Knowledge
- 4.8 / 5
Chemistry
Knowledge
- 4.4 / 5
Physics
Knowledge
- 4.3 / 5
Production and Processing
Knowledge
- 4.3 / 5
Design
Knowledge
- 4.3 / 5
Science
Basic skill
- 4.1 / 5
Complex Problem Solving
Technical
Common tasks (O*NET)
- 01
Monitor and analyze data from processes and experiments.
- 02
Develop safety procedures to be employed by workers operating equipment or working in close proximity to ongoing chemical reactions.
- 03
Develop processes to separate components of liquids or gases or generate electrical currents, using controlled chemical processes.
- 04
Troubleshoot problems with chemical manufacturing processes.
- 05
Evaluate chemical equipment and processes to identify ways to optimize performance or to ensure compliance with safety and environmental regulations.
- 06
Conduct research to develop new and improved chemical manufacturing processes.
- 07
Perform laboratory studies of steps in manufacture of new products and test proposed processes in small-scale operation, such as a pilot plant.
- 08
Prepare estimate of production costs and production progress reports for management.
10-year outlook
Growth 2024 → 2034
+2.3%
Projected annual openings
—
BLS outlook
Average growth
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034 cycle.
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Explore coursesTop metros in California
Metro-level salary data for chemical engineers in major California metropolitan areas.
- Los Angeles$134,210
- Riverside$106,200
- San Diego—
- San Francisco—
- San Jose—
Compare Chemical Engineers pay across nearby states
Considering a move? Compare California with another state
Frequently asked questions
- Is Chemical Engineers a growing field?
- BLS Employment Projections show employment growing by 2.3% over the projection cycle. See the 10-year outlook section above for details.
- What education is required for Chemical Engineers?
- BLS lists the typical entry-level education as Bachelor's degree. Many employers also weigh prior experience and credentials.
Information on this page is for general educational purposes only. It is not career, financial, or tax advice. Wage data reflects BLS estimates for the reference year shown and may not match individual offers, employer-specific ranges, or current market conditions. Confirm with a licensed professional before making career or compensation decisions.