H-1B Chemical Engineer Hiring Overview
Explore H-1B visa filings for Chemical Engineers. View sponsoring employers, salary data from 53 filings, and approval rates from DOL public records.
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Total H-1B Petitions | 53 |
| Approval Rate | 100% |
| Average Salary | $93,799 |
| Salary Range | $46,342 - $200,000 |
| Top Sponsor | Black & Veatch Corporation |
| Primary Location | California |
Chemical Engineers is one of the H-1B visa categories with 4 filings and an average salary of $126,592. The average salary for H-1B Chemical Engineers is $136,700, with a median of $136,700. The salary range for Chemical Engineers is quite broad, from $65,000 to $200,000, indicating diverse roles and experience levels. The data shows a concentration of H-1B hires in specific states, with Tennessee, California, Michigan, and Arkansas each having one listed employer. The data is based on a small sample size of 4 employers and 4 total applications, limiting the scope of broader trend analysis.
| Total Filings | 53 |
| Approval Rate | 100% |
| Average Salary | $93,799 |
| Median Salary | $91,166 |
| 25th Percentile | $69,139 |
| 75th Percentile | $112,000 |
| Minimum Salary | $46,342 |
| Maximum Salary | $200,000 |
| 10th Percentile | $60,000 |
| 25th Percentile | $69,139 |
| Median (50th) | $91,166 |
| 75th Percentile | $112,000 |
| 90th Percentile | $135,960 |
| Average | $93,799 |
| Sample Size | 53 |
| Education Level | Filings |
|---|---|
| Not Specified | 53 |
How do H-1B salaries for Chemical Engineers compare to the overall U.S. workforce? Data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2024 OEWS) compared to H-1B LCA filings.
| Percentile | H-1B Salary | U.S. Domestic (BLS) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $60,000 | $78,520 | -24% |
| 25th | $69,139 | $96,040 | -28% |
| Median | $91,166 | $121,860 | -25% |
| 75th | $112,000 | $152,290 | -26% |
| 90th | $135,960 | $182,150 | -25% |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024. H-1B data from DOL LCA filings.
| Employer | Filings | Avg Salary |
|---|---|---|
| Black & Veatch Corporation | 8 | $96k |
| University of Michigan | 7 | $66k |
| Clariant Corporation | 4 | $85k |
| Illumina, Inc. | 4 | $94k |
| TEXAS A&M ENGINEERING EXPERIMENT STATION | 4 | $74k |
| Just-Evotec Biologics, Inc. | 4 | $94k |
| LANXESS Corporation | 2 | $129k |
| Alliance for Sustainable Energy, LLC | 2 | $92k |
| TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITY | 2 | $56k |
| Atlas Data Storage, Inc. | 1 | $200k |
| State | Filings |
|---|---|
| California | 15 |
| Texas | 11 |
| Michigan | 9 |
| Washington | 6 |
| Arkansas | 2 |
| Tennessee | 1 |
| North Carolina | 1 |
| Kansas | 1 |
| South Carolina | 1 |
| Florida | 1 |
Focus on demonstrating specialized skills and experience that justify a higher salary, as the range is wide, and target companies in states with known chemical industry presence, while acknowledging the limited sample size of this data.
The average H-1B salary for Chemical Engineers is $126,592, with a median of $136,700. The 25th-75th percentile range is $104,666 to $200,000.
Top H-1B sponsors for Chemical Engineers include UFS Holdings Inc., Atlas Data Storage, Inc., University of Michigan, LANXESS Corporation. A total of 4 employers have filed for this role.
There are 4 H-1B filings on record for Chemical Engineers positions. 100.0% were certified.
The top states for H-1B Chemical Engineers positions are Tennessee (1), California (1), Michigan (1), Arkansas (1).
Yes, Chemical Engineers is a qualifying occupation for H-1B visa sponsorship. There are 4 approved H-1B petitions for this role in the database.
H-1B Chemical Engineers salaries range from $65,000 to $200,000. The median salary is $136,700.
The approval rate for Chemical Engineers H-1B petitions is 100.0%. The average and median salaries are identical, suggesting a potentially tight salary distribution around the mean for this specific dataset.
The wide salary spread implies opportunities for both entry-level and highly experienced Chemical Engineers.
Focus on demonstrating specialized skills and experience that justify a higher salary, as the range is wide, and target companies in states with known chemical industry presence, while acknowledging the limited sample size of this data.
The limited geographic distribution in the sample might not represent the full picture of where Chemical Engineers are typically hired.
The Chemical Engineers occupation (SOC code 17-2041) is classified under the Standard Occupational Classification (SOC) system maintained by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The SOC system groups workers into occupational categories based on the type of work performed, providing a standardized framework for comparing wages, employment levels, and workforce trends across the United States.
Chemical Engineers positions fall within the specialty occupation category required for H-1B visa sponsorship, meaning they typically require the theoretical and practical application of a body of highly specialized knowledge and at minimum a bachelor's degree or its equivalent in the specific specialty. Based on H-1B filing data, the most common education requirement for Chemical Engineers positions is Not Specified (53 filings), followed by other degree levels.
Across 53 LCA filings tracked by H1BSalaryCheck, Chemical Engineers positions show an average offered salary of $93,799, with a range from $46,342 at the entry level to $200,000 for senior positions. The largest concentration of H-1B filings for this role is in California (15 filings) and Texas (11 filings). According to BLS data, there are approximately 20,330 workers employed in this occupation across the United States.
Career outlook for Chemical Engineers professionals is closely tied to industry demand for specialized skills. Employers sponsoring H-1B workers for this role are demonstrating that they could not find sufficient qualified U.S. workers to fill these positions, which often signals strong demand and competitive compensation. Workers in this occupation may also be eligible for other visa categories including L-1 intracompany transfers, O-1 extraordinary ability visas, or employment-based green card sponsorship through the PERM process.
To sponsor a foreign worker for an H-1B visa in a Chemical Engineers role, U.S. employers must satisfy several requirements established by the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) and enforced by both the Department of Labor (DOL) and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS):
The position must qualify as a "specialty occupation," meaning it requires the theoretical and practical application of a body of highly specialized knowledge and at minimum a bachelor's degree or its equivalent in a specific specialty directly related to the position. For Chemical Engineers roles, H-1B filings indicate that employers most commonly require a Not Specified degree. USCIS evaluates whether the position itself, not just the employer's preference, genuinely requires specialized education.
Employers must pay H-1B workers at least the prevailing wage for the occupation in the geographic area of employment, as determined by the DOL. The prevailing wage is based on four skill levels (Level 1 through Level 4) that reflect the complexity of the job duties and required experience. For Chemical Engineers positions, the average offered salary of $93,799 exceeds prevailing wages by an average of 11.7%, with 64% of filings offering above the prevailing wage.
Before filing the H-1B petition, employers must obtain a certified LCA from the DOL. The LCA requires employers to attest to four conditions: (1) paying at least the prevailing wage or actual wage, whichever is higher; (2) providing working conditions that do not adversely affect similarly employed U.S. workers; (3) no strike or lockout at the worksite; and (4) proper notice of the filing to workers. The overall LCA approval rate for Chemical Engineers positions is 100%.
The annual H-1B cap is set at 65,000 regular visas plus 20,000 for beneficiaries with U.S. master's degrees or higher (the "master's cap"). Certain employers, including institutions of higher education, nonprofit research organizations, and government research organizations, are exempt from the cap. Chemical Engineers positions at cap-exempt employers can be filed at any time during the year, while cap-subject employers must participate in the annual H-1B lottery, typically held in March for the following fiscal year.
H-1B visas are initially granted for up to three years and can be extended for a maximum of six years total. Workers who have an approved I-140 immigrant petition (part of the green card process) may be eligible for extensions beyond the six-year limit under the American Competitiveness in the Twenty-First Century Act (AC21). The average contract duration for Chemical Engineers H-1B filings is approximately 33 months.
Cities with the most H-1B filings for Chemical Engineers positions.
Other H-1B job categories related to Chemical Engineers, grouped by similar SOC classification codes.