Career: Chemical Engineers
Chemical engineers know that there’s more to creating a great product than coming up with a new idea. They figure out how to turn new ideas into products that can be mass-produced.
Whether they’re making perfume with a fragrance that lasts or cookies that taste homemade or tape that sticks in the rain, chemical engineers are using their understanding of chemicals and chemical reactions.
Chemical engineers use chemistry to bridge the gap between scientific invention and manufactured goods.
Did You Know?
- A chemical engineer, Art Fry, invented the Post-it note.
Are You Ready To...?
- Design manufacturing processes
- Dream up new uses for chemicals
- Work with dangerous chemicals or equipment
- Troubleshoot problems in plants or factories
- Keep up with new technology
- Do lab research
- Write reports
- Work as part of a team
It Helps to Be...
A fan of math and chemistry who likes to figure out the best way to get things done. If you look at things and wonder how to improve them, chemical engineering could be the field for you.
Make High School Count
- Go for challenging math and science classes, including calculus and chemistry.
- Pay attention in English -- you’ll need to be able to read a lot of complex material and write about your work.
- Sign up for computer science and get a head start.
- Join an engineering club or get others involved in engineering competitions, such as the one offered by the Junior Engineering Technical Society.
Did You Know?
- Chemical engineers are working on hydrogen-based fuel cells that could someday replace gasoline engines.
Outlook
Government economists expect chemical engineering jobs to grow as fast as the average for all occupations through 2014. There should be job growth outside manufacturing -- in research and testing, for example. There should also be job opportunities as experienced engineers retire.
Compensation
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates the average yearly earnings of chemical engineers in 2006 as $81,600.
A 2005 survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers listed salary offers for chemical engineering students about to graduate as the following:
- Bachelor’s degree candidates: $53,813
- Master’s degree candidates: $57,260
- Ph.D. candidates: $79,591
