Chemical Engineer Salary in South East
Official ONS earnings for South East, covering 24,000 jobs.
Median salary — South East
£54,173
gross, per year, all employees
▲ 17.8% change on the previous year
Mean
£56,991
Jobs measured
24,000
What a typical chemical engineer takes home
On the median of £54,173, 2026/27 tax year, England, Wales and Northern Ireland rates, no pension or student loan.
Take-home a month
£3,498
Take-home a year
£41,978
Income Tax
£9,101
National Insurance
£3,094
What most chemical engineers actually earn
Half of chemical engineers in South East earn between £40,233 and £64,276. Earning above £64,276 puts you in the top quarter of the profession.
ONS suppresses the detailed spread for this occupation at regional level, so this range describes the wider “Engineering Professionals” group in South East.
The full pay range
Each bar is the salary at that percentile — the 25th means a quarter of chemical engineers earn less than this.
How South East ranks for chemical engineer pay
2nd
of 4 GB regions with a published figure
London tops the table on £56,791 and Wales sits at the bottom on £42,989. South East is £2,618 short of the top.
Ranking compares published regional medians for the same occupation. It says nothing about cost of living — a higher median doesn't survive contact with rent. The cost of living calculator is the honest next step.
Where this figure comes from
- ONS occupation group
- Engineering professionals n.e.c.
- SOC 2020 code
- 2129
- Measure
- Gross annual pay, all employees
- Edition
- ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, 2025 provisional
ONS doesn't measure “chemical engineer” as its own category. These figures are for the wider group “Engineering professionals n.e.c.”, which includes this role alongside others. ONS measures a residual group - engineering professionals it does not name separately.
Source: Office for National Statistics, Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Figures are estimates from a survey of PAYE jobs and are not financial advice.
Chemical Engineer salary FAQs
What is the average Chemical Engineer salary in South East?
The median is £54,173 a year and the mean is £56,991, according to the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings. Those cover all employees; ASHE publishes no full-time split at regional level.
How much does a chemical engineer earn per hour?
Across the UK the median hourly rate is £23.92 excluding overtime. ASHE publishes hourly pay by occupation nationally only, so there is no separate rate for South East.
What is a good Chemical Engineer salary?
Half of chemical engineers earn between £40,233 and £64,276. Anything above £64,276 is in the top quarter for the role.
What is the starting salary for a chemical engineer?
ASHE does not record experience, so there is no official starting salary. What it does show is that the lowest-paid 10% of chemical engineers earn under £31,866 and the lowest quarter under £40,233 — the range a new entrant is most likely to be offered.
Do chemical engineers in South East earn more than the UK average?
The median in South East is £54,173 against £47,985 across the UK, 12.9% higher, which places it 2nd highest of the 4 GB regions with a precise estimate.
Has chemical engineer pay gone up in the last year?
ASHE puts the year-on-year change in the median at +17.8% for this occupation in South East. That compares the latest survey with the one before it and is not adjusted for inflation.
How many chemical engineers are there in South East?
ASHE counts around 24,000 employee jobs in “Engineering professionals n.e.c.” (SOC 2129) in South East. Self-employed work is not included.
Is this figure official?
Yes. It comes from the ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings, an accredited official statistic based on employer PAYE records.
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