k for chemical engineers is good. The number of jobs is expected to increase through the year 2005, mainly because of expansion in the energy and chemical industries. However, production improvement may lessen the number of job openings in this industry. Job opportunities for chemical engineers will be better in pharmaceuticals, with specialty chemical manufacturers, and in nontraditional areas such as electronics, food processing, biotechnology and waste disposal ("Chemical Engineer" 103).The chemical engineer, with a bachelor's degree, is usually paid very well. While this may be partly because of a broad background in science and engineering, it also has a lot to do with the type of industries that the chemical engineers are employed by. Bout half of today's chemical engineers are employed with such industries like petroleum and petrochemical. Often these industries require enormously expensive capital equipment, and therefore employee salaries become a much smaller part of the overall cost of doing business. Because of this, it makes good sense for these companies to pay handsomely to get the best person for the job (Pafko "Wages"). Earnings vary depending on the experience of the chemical engineer, the location, and the kind of job. Currently, chemical engineers with bachelor's degrees earn a starting salary pf about $36,000 to $41,000 a year. Engineers with advanced degrees start at salaries that average of about $44,900 to $46,800 a year. Experienced chemical engineers average of about $57,000 annually, while some senior engineers can earn $87,000 or more a year. Chemical engineers employed by private companies generally earn more than those employed by the federal government. Benefits usually include paid holidays and vacations, health insurance, and pension plans ("Chemical Engineer" 103). In conclusion, a chemical engineer must be well educated in the fields of science, especially chemistry, and math. They should have the abi...
