SOC 17-2041 · May 2025 · BLS OEWS
Chemical Engineers — Riverside
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA · 1 metro areas compared
In Riverside, CA the median wage is $106,200.
Wage distribution · annual
Shaded band holds the middle 50% of earners
How pay has moved
The next ten years
Projected to grow about as fast as average
- Change in jobs, 2024 to 2034
- +2.6%
- Openings per year
- 1,100
- Typical entry-level education
- Bachelor's degree
Includes jobs opened by workers leaving the occupation, not only new positions.
5.1% of people in this occupation work for themselves.
Projections are published nationally only. This is the outlook for the occupation across the United States, not a measurement for Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA.
Projections are based on 2024 employment and run to 2034. The wages above are from the May 2025 survey, a separate BLS programme on a different release cycle, so the two are not two views of one dataset.
Salary overview
In Riverside, CA the median wage is $106,200. That is 15.1% lower than the national median of $125,040. Pay ranges from under $88,960 at the tenth percentile to more than $142,660 at the ninetieth, with the interquartile range running from $98,990 to $131,230.
Within the state, Los Angeles records the highest median at $134,210. Of the 671 occupations with published wages in this area, it sits 113th.
Percentile breakdown
| Percentile | Annual | vs US median |
|---|---|---|
| 10th | $88,960 | −28.9% |
| 25th | $98,990 | −20.8% |
| Median (50th) | $106,200 | −15.1% |
| 75th | $131,230 | +5.0% |
| 90th | $142,660 | +14.1% |
| Mean | $116,630 | −6.7% |
Other metro areas in California
| # | Metro area | Median | Jobs | Relative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles | $134,210 | 320 |
What the pay is worth locally
Prices in Riverside run 6.4% above the national average, so the median of $106,200 buys what $99,812 would elsewhere in the country. Measured that way the gap against the national median narrows to 20.2% below the national median in real terms.
Published median
$106,200as reported by BLSLocal price level
106.4US average = 100 · BEA 2024Adjusted for local prices
$99,812US average = 100 · BEA 2024Why the state that pays most is usually not where pay goes furthest
Key takeaways
- Median pay is $106,200 a year, 15.1% below the national median.
- Published pay spans $88,960 to $142,660 between the tenth and ninetieth percentiles.
- The highest-paying metro area covered is Los Angeles, at $134,210.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median wage for Chemical Engineers in Riverside, CA?
The median annual wage is $106,200, or $51.06 per hour, as of May 2025. Half of the workers in this occupation earn more than that and half earn less.
Is that higher than the national average?
The national median for this occupation is $125,040, so pay in Riverside, CA is 15.1% lower. These figures are medians, not averages: half of workers fall on each side.
What do the top earners make?
The top tenth of this occupation in Riverside, CA earns more than $142,660 per year. The ninetieth percentile is the highest figure the survey publishes.
What is the starting range?
The tenth percentile wage is $88,960 per year. The survey measures wages actually paid rather than experience level, so this reflects the lowest-paid tenth rather than entry-level pay specifically.
Which area nearby pays the most?
The highest median for this occupation among the metro areas covered is in Los Angeles, at $134,210 per year.
Source and methodology
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 Wages are for wage-and-salary workers; self-employed workers are not included. Salary Explorer is an independent project. It is not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics or any government agency. Full methodology.
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