Monitors and optimizes the units of an oil refinery, such as crude distillation and catalytic crackers, to run them safely and profitably. BLS does not publish separate figures for chemical engineers; it counts them within chemical engineer (SOC 17-2041), whose median pay is $125,040 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
- SOC 17-2041
- Architecture and Engineering
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Refinery Process Engineer in four numbers
- Median pay
- $125,040a year, or $60.12/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $79KTop 10% $183K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +4.7%Faster than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+4.7%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +4.7% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 1,10021,900 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202521.9K
- Projected 203522.9K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 21.9K Projected 2035 22.9K - Typical education
- Bachelor'sneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Bachelor's91.3%
- Post-bacc certificate4.4%
- Post-master’s certificate4.4%
Highest education held by chemical engineers Segment Value Bachelor's 91.3% Post-bacc certificate 4.4% Post-master’s certificate 4.4%
Also advertised as: Refining Process Engineer, Process Engineer (Refinery), Unit Engineer, Process Unit Engineer, Refinery Technical Services Engineer.
Pay
How much do Chemical Engineers make?
Every refinery process engineer in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$125,040
Middle half earn $97,820 to $157,190
- 10th
- $79,420
- 25th
- $97,820
- 75th
- $157,190
- 90th
- $182,880
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $79,420 |
| 25th | $97,820 |
| Median | $125,040 |
| 75th | $157,190 |
| 90th | $182,880 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $125,040
- Median hourly wage
- $60.12/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $129,980
- People employed
- 21,070
Versus all US occupations
At $125,040, Chemical Engineers earn 145% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $74,060 a year.
Versus architecture and engineering occupations
Inside the Architecture and Engineering group, where the middle occupation pays $104,110, this is 20% above the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $182,880 or more while the bottom 10% earn $79,420, a gap of 2.3×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 86% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
New Mexico pays the most at $158,190, and still leads at $171,550 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Chemical Engineers the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1New Mexico | $158,190 | $171,550 | 160 |
| 2Virginia | $136,380 | $134,891 | 790 |
| 3Alabama | $135,030 | $152,021 | 600 |
| 4Louisiana | $134,800 | $152,822 | 730 |
| 5Delaware | $133,670 | $133,927 | 370 |
| 6Texas | $132,750 | $136,775 | 2,610 |
| 7West Virginia | $129,210 | $144,374 | 160 |
| 8New York | $129,060 | $119,587 | 540 |
| 9Washington | $128,290 | $119,883 | 650 |
| 10Oklahoma | $127,790 | $145,475 | 110 |
Job outlook
Is Refinery Process Engineer a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Faster than average. +4.7% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Chemical Engineers | +4.7% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Faster than average
BLS projects employment of Chemical Engineers to change 4.7% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 1,000 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 1,100 openings are projected each year, 5.0% of the 21,900 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Refinery Process Engineer
A bachelor's degree in chemical engineering is the standard requirement. Courses in thermodynamics, separations, reaction engineering and process control are directly used on the job, and the American Institute of Chemical Engineers supports refinery engineers through training and its Center for Chemical Process Safety.
Most refinery engineers are hired straight from college into a technical services group and learn each unit by working alongside operators. Over time they move into larger units, planning and economics, or operations management. A professional engineering license is useful but not always required in refining.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Bachelor's degree
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
None
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Medium preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as chemical engineers.
- Bachelor's Degree91.3%
- Post-Baccalaureate Certificate4.4%
- Post-Master's Certificate4.4%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's Degree | 91.3% |
| Post-Baccalaureate Certificate | 4.4% |
| Post-Master's Certificate | 4.4% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Refinery Process Engineer do?
Refinery process engineers are assigned to one or more process units, such as crude distillation, fluid catalytic cracking, hydrotreating or alkylation. They watch temperatures, pressures, flows and product quality every day, troubleshoot problems with operators, and recommend changes to get more valuable products from each barrel of crude.
They run process simulations, monitor catalyst performance, and plan what needs to happen during unit turnarounds. They also review changes for process safety, support environmental permits, and develop small capital projects that remove bottlenecks or reduce energy use.
Day-to-day tasks
- Monitor process unit performance and product quality
- Troubleshoot operating problems with board and field operators
- Run process simulations to test operating changes
- Track catalyst activity and plan replacements
- Develop scopes of work for unit turnarounds
- Review proposed changes under process safety management
- Identify energy savings and debottlenecking projects
- Support environmental reporting and permit compliance
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Refinery process engineers work at the plant, splitting time between an office and the units themselves, which are hot, noisy and require protective equipment. Hours are typically regular with an on-call rotation for upsets. Turnarounds bring long days and night shifts. Engineers carry gas monitors and flame-resistant clothing in the units, and they attend morning meetings with operations and maintenance most days.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayIndoors, in a climate-controlled space, every day.
Outdoors in all weather
NeverEvery day
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeSeated for more than half the working day.
Standing
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantFace-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Science4.1
- Critical Thinking4.1
- Reading Comprehension4.0
- Active Learning3.9
- Mathematics3.8
- Speaking3.5
- Active Listening3.3
- Writing3.1
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Science | 4.1 |
| Critical Thinking | 4.1 |
| Reading Comprehension | 4.0 |
| Active Learning | 3.9 |
| Mathematics | 3.8 |
| Speaking | 3.5 |
| Active Listening | 3.3 |
| Writing | 3.1 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Complex Problem Solving4.0
- Judgment and Decision Making3.9
- Systems Analysis3.9
- Systems Evaluation3.9
- Operations Analysis3.6
- Social Perceptiveness3.0
- Coordination3.0
- Instructing3.0
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Complex Problem Solving | 4.0 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.9 |
| Systems Analysis | 3.9 |
| Systems Evaluation | 3.9 |
| Operations Analysis | 3.6 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.0 |
| Coordination | 3.0 |
| Instructing | 3.0 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Analytical or scientific software · in demand
- Computer aided design CAD software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Development environment software · in demand
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software · in demand
- Object or component oriented development software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Process mapping and design software · in demand
- Project management software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Refinery Process Engineer?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code IRC) built on O*NET's Chemical Engineer profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Refinery Process Engineer |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 6 |
| Investigative | 6 |
| Artistic | 2 |
| Social | 1 |
| Enterprising | 2 |
| Conventional | 5 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data.
- Realistic6.3
- Investigative5.9
- Conventional4.7
- Enterprising1.9
- Artistic1.8
- Social1.0
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Refinery Process Engineer
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$171,270median a year
Most earn $121K to $263K
+5.5%Bachelor's
More architecture and engineering careers
Median annual pay, with chemical engineers highlighted
- Aerospace Engineer$134,960
- Refinery Process Engineer$125,040
- Electrical Engineer$120,630
- Environmental Engineer$107,110
- Mechanical Engineer$104,110
- Automotive Engineer$104,110
- Industrial Engineer$102,440
- Civil Engineer$100,840
- Architect$99,280
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Aerospace Engineer | $134,960 |
| Refinery Process Engineer | $125,040 |
| Electrical Engineer | $120,630 |
| Environmental Engineer | $107,110 |
| Mechanical Engineer | $104,110 |
| Automotive Engineer | $104,110 |
| Industrial Engineer | $102,440 |
| Civil Engineer | $100,840 |
| Architect | $99,280 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Refinery Process Engineer appears on
Questions
Refinery Process Engineer: frequently asked questions
How much do Chemical Engineers make?
BLS does not publish a separate wage for chemical engineers. It counts them within chemical engineer, whose median pay is $125,040 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $97,820 and $157,190, and the top 10% earn $182,880 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Refinery Process Engineer?
Yes. BLS reports a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education for Chemical Engineers, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as medium preparation. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 91.3% hold bachelor's degree.
Is Refinery Process Engineer a growing career?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 4.7% over 2025–2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 1,100 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Refinery Process Engineer do?
Refinery process engineers are assigned to one or more process units, such as crude distillation, fluid catalytic cracking, hydrotreating or alkylation. A typical task: monitor process unit performance and product quality. Employers most often ask for Analytical or scientific software, Computer aided design CAD software, Data base user interface and query software.
Which states pay Chemical Engineers the most?
The highest state medians for Chemical Engineers are New Mexico ($158,190), Virginia ($136,380), Alabama ($135,030) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Refinery Process Engineer?
O*NET scores Chemical Engineers highest on the Realistic, Investigative and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ISTJ, ISTP. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.