Salary guide, May 2025
Process Development Engineer pay, United States
Manufacturing Headhunters uses the published BLS OEWS figures below. They describe the mapped occupation and area, not an individual offer.
This is what we do all day: recruit manufacturing professionals.
The median annual wage for Chemical Engineers in the United States was $125,040 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $97,820 and $157,190.
Broader occupation · SOC 17-2041 Chemical Engineers
BLS measures this broader occupation across industries. It does not publish a separate wage for this manufacturing title.
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $79,420 | $97,820 | $125,040 | $157,190 | $182,880 |
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $38.19 | $47.03 | $60.12 | $75.57 | $87.92 |
BLS estimated 21,070 workers employed in this occupation in the United States.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. SOC 17-2041 Chemical Engineers, U.S.. Official occupation data · Official area tables. Released 2026-05-15.
How does pay compare in the target metros?
| Metro | Median | 25th to 75th | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $111,980 | $95,980 to $115,600 | 50 | 0.13 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $110,000 | $101,040 to $130,840 | 30 | 0.16 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | Not published by BLS for this area. National figures above apply. | |||
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $111,210 | $94,460 to $146,210 | 90 | 0.85 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $126,830 | $95,480 to $149,210 | 510 | 0.39 |
| Northern New Jersey within New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $126,830 | $95,480 to $149,210 | 510 | 0.39 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $130,520 | $105,060 to $168,960 | 130 | 0.24 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $110,760 | $94,170 to $139,520 | 370 | 0.6 |
Rank every metro for Process Development Engineer
What should you know about pay by manufacturing industry, United States?
Same BLS occupation, national estimates for each manufacturing industry (NAICS) BLS publishes, May 2025. Industry names are BLS labels.
- Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only)$162,500
- Machinery Manufacturing$147,960
- Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing$136,810
- Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing$136,810
- Transportation Equipment Manufacturing$136,380
- Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing$133,740
- Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing$128,530
- Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing$127,770
- Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing$126,610
- Manufacturing$122,740
- Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only)$115,520
- Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills$114,470
- Chemical Manufacturing$112,300
- Paper Manufacturing$111,050
- Coating, Engraving, Heat Treating, and Allied Activities$110,790
Bars show up to 15 industries with exact annual medians. The table lists every published industry.
| NAICS | Industry | Employment | 25th | Median | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 31-33 | Manufacturing | 10,860 | $99,130 | $122,740 | $151,520 |
| 325000 | Chemical Manufacturing | 6,060 | $97,730 | $112,300 | $134,740 |
| 3250A1 | Chemical Manufacturing (3251, 3252, 3253, and 3259 only) | 4,550 | $98,090 | $115,520 | $138,620 |
| 333000 | Machinery Manufacturing | 1,350 | $131,230 | $147,960 | $168,170 |
| 325400 | Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing | 1,150 | $96,400 | $106,140 | $122,040 |
| 3330A1 | Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) | 1,140 | $134,210 | $162,500 | $168,170 |
| 324000 | Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | 1,020 | $122,840 | $136,810 | $173,580 |
| 324100 | Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing | 1,020 | $122,840 | $136,810 | $173,580 |
| 334000 | Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing | 790 | $102,320 | $127,770 | $161,350 |
| 336000 | Transportation Equipment Manufacturing | 610 | $100,620 | $136,380 | $136,700 |
| 334400 | Semiconductor and Other Electronic Component Manufacturing | 500 | $102,320 | $128,530 | $159,510 |
| 3250A2 | Chemical Manufacturing (3255 and 3256 only) | 360 | $96,770 | $107,960 | $130,380 |
| 334500 | Navigational, Measuring, Electromedical, and Control Instruments Manufacturing | 250 | $103,660 | $126,610 | $152,260 |
| 326000 | Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing | 200 | $79,850 | $100,200 | $127,330 |
| 332000 | Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing | 190 | $74,970 | $102,170 | $129,320 |
| 326100 | Plastics Product Manufacturing | 160 | $80,940 | $100,200 | $130,010 |
| 336400 | Aerospace Product and Parts Manufacturing | 150 | $78,510 | $96,270 | $165,210 |
| 333300 | Commercial and Service Industry Machinery Manufacturing | 130 | $127,890 | $133,740 | $133,740 |
| 322000 | Paper Manufacturing | 120 | $89,450 | $111,050 | $143,040 |
| 335000 | Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and Component Manufacturing | 120 | $79,800 | $100,190 | $134,230 |
| 335900 | Other Electrical Equipment and Component Manufacturing | 120 | $79,800 | $100,190 | $134,230 |
| 311000 | Food Manufacturing | 110 | $78,850 | $91,860 | $103,630 |
| 339000 | Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 110 | $84,750 | $102,730 | $143,760 |
| 322100 | Pulp, Paper, and Paperboard Mills | 100 | $89,450 | $114,470 | $159,850 |
| 332800 | Coating, Engraving, Heat Treating, and Allied Activities | 100 | $95,010 | $110,790 | $185,500 |
| 331000 | Primary Metal Manufacturing | 80 | $80,100 | $89,070 | $102,890 |
| 333600 | Engine, Turbine, and Power Transmission Equipment Manufacturing | 80 | $109,190 | $110,490 | $121,750 |
| 339100 | Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing | 70 | $81,680 | $107,160 | $143,800 |
| 331400 | Nonferrous Metal (except Aluminum) Production and Processing | 60 | $81,810 | $89,070 | $106,620 |
| 3320A1 | Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing (3321, 3322, 3325, 3326, and 3329 only) | 60 | $72,940 | $82,200 | $102,590 |
| 311200 | Grain and Oilseed Milling | 50 | $83,310 | $92,050 | $103,410 |
| 326200 | Rubber Product Manufacturing | 40 | $72,490 | $96,970 | $113,690 |
| 327000 | Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing | 40 | $79,020 | $102,890 | $109,980 |
| 327000 | Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing | 40 | $79,020 | $102,890 | $109,980 |
| 339900 | Other Miscellaneous Manufacturing | 40 | $89,530 | $101,780 | $112,510 |
| 311900 | Other Food Manufacturing | 30 | $81,620 | $95,630 | $107,650 |
| 336300 | Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing | 30 | $67,420 | $103,030 | $107,530 |
What should you know about manufacturing pay mix?
For Process Development Engineer, clarify the base pay before discussing call-outs, travel or extra shifts. OEWS includes base rate, guaranteed pay and production incentive pay. It excludes overtime premium, shift differentials and nonproduction bonuses. An attendance bonus is not a production bonus; confirm its purpose and treatment rather than adding every bonus to the BLS figure.
Skills-based pay steps affect the base rate when they are part of straight-time pay; BLS does not publish a separate rate for each plant's skill grade. Ask whether a tool allowance is expense reimbursement or wage pay. OEWS does not publish a separate tool-allowance component. Keep these items separate in the offer so the published wage is not mistaken for the whole package.
Pay mix here means how published medians for this one BLS occupation differ across manufacturing industries and against the all-industry median. It does not split pay into base, incentive or overtime. BLS wages are straight-time gross pay and exclude overtime, shift differentials and nonproduction bonuses.
What should you know about two BLS releases?
| Release period | 25th | Median | 75th |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2024 | $96,040 | $121,860 | $152,290 |
| May 2025 | $97,820 | $125,040 | $157,190 |
These are two separate BLS estimates from different survey panels. The workers and employers behind them differ, so the gap is not like-for-like pay for the same workers and is not a growth rate. We show no percentage change.
Recruiter's read. Qualitative, not BLS data.
What should you know about an interview based on the work?
Build the interview around experimental processes moving from trials into stable production. A practical discussion of how a trial established operating limits before a production handoff can test judgment without using confidential drawings or customer information. Those limits help establish development uncertainty rather than routine process sustaining work; they are part of competence, not a weakness to talk around.
What should you know about questions?
Wages for the OEWS survey are straight-time, gross pay, exclusive of premium pay. Base rate; cost-of-living allowances; guaranteed pay; hazardous-duty pay; incentive pay, including commissions and production bonuses; and tips are included. Excluded are overtime pay, severance pay, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses, employer cost for supplementary benefits, and tuition reimbursements.
What is the median pay for a Process Development Engineer?
The median annual wage for Chemical Engineers in the United States was $125,040 (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of workers earned between $97,820 and $157,190. This is the broader occupation BLS publishes, not a figure for this exact title.
What does the 10th percentile mean here?
10% of workers in this occupation and area earned less than $79,420. 90% earned less than $182,880.
Does this include overtime or bonuses?
Wages for the OEWS survey are straight-time, gross pay, exclusive of premium pay. Base rate; cost-of-living allowances; guaranteed pay; hazardous-duty pay; incentive pay, including commissions and production bonuses; and tips are included. Excluded are overtime pay, severance pay, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses, employer cost for supplementary benefits, and tuition reimbursements.
Is this the pay for a Process Development Engineer at a plant?
BLS measures this broader occupation across industries. It does not publish a separate wage for this manufacturing title. These are occupation estimates across all industries, not an offer for a particular manufacturing title.
How many people work in this occupation?
BLS estimated 21,070 workers employed in this occupation in the United States.
What should you know about related?
What does this data mean for your opening?
Manufacturing Headhunters evaluates process development engineers as Chemical Engineers per BLS classification. The national median is $125,040, showing a $3,180 increase over May 2024. The middle band width is $59,370, from a P25 of $97,820 to a P75 of $157,190. Because this is a broad grouping, the data does not capture the high-stakes developmental aspects unique to process development.
Sector-specific medians suggest higher pay in capital-intensive industries. Machinery Manufacturing (select codes) reports a median of $162,500, while general Machinery Manufacturing reports $147,960. Petroleum and Coal Products Manufacturing is $136,810. Note that BLS values exclude performance incentives and patent-related project bonuses that frequently reward successful development engineers.
The Houston metro reports a $138,120 median with a 3.4 location quotient, while Boston-Cambridge-Newton reports $109,460 with a 2.48 quotient. Houston's higher median and quotient reflect its specific industrial market, but all figures remain mapped to the broad Chemical Engineers SOC. Market averages provide a baseline but do not account for the specific technical requirements of development roles.
Our screening for development engineers focuses on process uncertainty. We evaluate how a candidate established operating limits before a product was handed off to full production. We prioritize those who demonstrate a history of handling development-phase uncertainty rather than those who are only comfortable performing routine process-sustaining work, which is a common but different skill set.
Which pay questions should you settle before hiring?
How should process development engineers use the $125,040 median?
Treat it as a base for all Chemical Engineers. Development roles usually command higher pay due to the inherent uncertainty and project-based nature of the work.
Why does the Houston location quotient of 3.4 matter?
It shows that the Houston labor market is heavily concentrated with these engineers. It is an indicator of sector density, but it doesn't automatically mean higher pay for every individual role.
What is the primary difference between development and sustaining engineering?
Development engineering requires defining parameters where none existed before. Sustaining engineering focuses on optimizing existing processes to maintain stability and output.
Related recruiting or pay page · Related wage comparison 1 · Data methodology · Related wage comparison 3 · Related wage comparison 4