# Chemical engineer > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Chemical_engineer > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Chemical_engineer.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemical_engineer > Source revision: 1343708313 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) A **chemical engineer** is a professional equipped with the knowledge of [chemistry](/source/Chemistry) and other basic sciences who works principally in the [chemical industry](/source/Chemical_industry) to convert basic [raw materials](/source/Raw_material) into a variety of [products](/source/Product_(chemistry)) and deals with the design and operation of [plants](/source/Chemical_plant) and equipment.[1] This person applies the principles of [chemical engineering](/source/Chemical_engineering) in any of its various practical applications, such as 1. Design, manufacture, and operation of [plants](/source/Chemical_plant) and machinery in industrial chemical and related processes ("chemical process engineers"); 1. Development of new or adapted substances for products ranging from foods and beverages, to [cosmetics](/source/Cosmetics), to [cleaners](/source/Cleaning_agent), to [pharmaceutical](/source/Pharmaceutical) ingredients, among many other products ("chemical product engineers"); 1. Development of new technologies such as [fuel cells](/source/Fuel_cells), [hydrogen power](/source/Hydrogen_power), and [nanotechnology](/source/Nanotechnology), as well as working in fields wholly or partially derived from chemical engineering such as [materials science](/source/Materials_science), [polymer engineering](/source/Polymer_engineering), and [biomedical engineering](/source/Biomedical_engineering). This can also include [geophysical](/source/Geophysics) projects such as rivers, stones, and signs. ## History Main article: [History of chemical engineering](/source/History_of_chemical_engineering) There is some debate about which historical figure should be considered the first chemical engineer. The president of the [Institution of Chemical Engineers](/source/Institution_of_Chemical_Engineers) said in his presidential address, "I believe most of us would be willing to regard [Edward Charles Howard](/source/Edward_Charles_Howard) (1774–1816) as the first chemical engineer of any eminence".[2] Others have suggested [Johann Rudolf Glauber](/source/Johann_Rudolf_Glauber) (1604–1670) for his development of processes for the manufacture of the major industrial acids.[3] According to the [Oxford English Dictionary](/source/Oxford_English_Dictionary), the first evidence of the noun 'chemical engineer' is from 1838.[4]The term appeared in print in 1839, though from the context it suggests a person who has [mechanical engineering](/source/Mechanical_engineering) knowledge but is currently working in the [chemical industry](/source/Chemical_industry).[5] In 1880, [George E. Davis](/source/George_E._Davis) wrote in a letter to *Chemical News,* "A Chemical Engineer is a person who possesses chemical and mechanical knowledge, and who applies that knowledge to the utilisation, on a manufacturing scale, of chemical action." He proposed the name Society of Chemical Engineers, for what was in fact constituted as the [Society of Chemical Industry](/source/Society_of_Chemical_Industry). At the first General Meeting of the Society in 1882, some 15 of the 300 members described themselves as chemical engineers, and the Society's formation of a Chemical Engineering Group in 1918 attracted about 400 members.[6] In 1905, a publication called *The Chemical Engineer* was founded in the US,[7] and in 1908 the [American Institute of Chemical Engineers](/source/American_Institute_of_Chemical_Engineers) (AIChE) was established.[8] In 1924, the [Institution of Chemical Engineers](/source/Institution_of_Chemical_Engineers) adopted the following definition: "A chemical engineer is a professional man experienced in the design, construction and operation of plant and works in which [matter](/source/Matter) undergoes a change of state and composition."[9] As can be seen from the later definition, the occupation is not limited to the [chemical industry](/source/Chemical_industry), but more generally the [process industries](/source/Process_industries), or other situations in which complex physical and/or [chemical processes](/source/Chemical_process) must be managed. The UK journal *[The Chemical Engineer](/source/The_Chemical_Engineer)* (began 1956) has a series of biographies available online entitled “Chemical Engineers who Changed the World”.[10] ## Overview Historically, the chemical engineer has been primarily concerned with [process engineering](/source/Process_engineering), which can generally be divided into two complementary areas: [chemical reaction engineering](/source/Chemical_reaction_engineering) and [separation processes](/source/Separation_process). The modern discipline of chemical engineering, however, encompasses much more than just process engineering. Chemical engineers are now engaged in the development and production of a diverse range of products, as well as in commodity and specialty chemicals. These products include high-performance materials needed for [aerospace](/source/Aerospace), [automotive](/source/Automotive_engineering), [biomedical](/source/Biomedical_engineering), [electronic](/source/Electronics), [environmental](/source/Environmental_engineering) and [military](/source/Military) applications. Examples include ultra-strong fibers, [fabrics](/source/Cloth), [adhesives](/source/Adhesives) and composites for vehicles, [bio-compatible materials](/source/Biocompatibility) for implants and prosthetics, [gels](/source/Gel) for medical applications, [pharmaceuticals](/source/Pharmaceuticals), and films with special dielectric, optical, or [spectroscopic](/source/Spectroscopy) properties for [optoelectronic devices](/source/Optoelectronic_devices).[11][12][13] Additionally, chemical engineering is often intertwined with [biology](/source/Biology) and [biomedical engineering](/source/Biomedical_engineering).[11] Many chemical engineers work on biological projects such as understanding [biopolymers](/source/Biopolymer) (such as [proteins](/source/Proteins)) and [mapping the human genome](/source/Human_Genome_Project). ## Employment and salaries According to a 2015 salary survey by the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, the median annual salary for a chemical engineer was approximately $127,000.[14] The survey was repeated in 2017 and the median annual salary dropped slightly to $124,000. The decrease in median salary was unexpected. A factor contributing to the decline may be that the 2017 survey was conducted by a different research and analysis firm. Median salaries ranged from $70,450 for chemical engineers with fewer than three years of experience to $156,000 for those with more than 40 years in the workforce.[15] In the [UK](/source/UK), the IChemE 2016 Salary Survey reported a median salary of approximately £57,000, with a starting salary for a graduate averaging £28,350.[16] According to 2023 figures, [Bayes Business School](/source/Bayes_Business_School) graduates earn an average of £51,921 within 5 years of graduation, which is the most among UK universities. This was followed by the [University of Oxford](/source/University_of_Oxford) at £49,086 and the [University of Warwick](/source/University_of_Warwick) at £47,446.[17] ### Gender See also: [Women in engineering](/source/Women_in_engineering) and [Women in STEM](/source/Women_in_STEM) The chemical engineering field has a gender representation gap, similar to other [engineering disciplines](/source/Engineering_disciplines), with women representing a significantly smaller percentage of the workforce than men. However, in the United States, chemical engineering is one of the engineering disciplines with the highest participation of women, with 35% of students compared with 20% in engineering as of 2024.[18][19][20] In the UK in 2014, 25% of students starting any degree were women, compared with 15% of students in engineering.[21] 18.8% of US graduates who responded to a 2015 salary survey were women.[14] Some groups and individuals have made efforts to improve conditions and representation for women chemical engineers. Women in Chemical Engineering (WIC) is a sub-group of the AIChE that is dedicated to this cause.[22][23] Since 2011, [IUPAC](/source/IUPAC) has given an annual award for Distinguished Women in Chemistry or Chemical Engineering.[24] ## Occupational outlook According to the [U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics](/source/Bureau_of_Labor_Statistics), the occupational outlook for chemical engineers between 2024 and 2034 was 3% growth.[25] ## See also ### Related topics - *[Education for Chemical Engineers](/source/Education_for_Chemical_Engineers)* - [English Engineering units](/source/English_Engineering_units) - [List of chemical engineering societies](/source/List_of_chemical_engineering_societies) - [List of chemical engineers](/source/List_of_chemical_engineers) - [List of chemical process simulators](/source/List_of_chemical_process_simulators) - [Outline of chemical engineering](/source/Outline_of_chemical_engineering) ### Related concepts - [Chemfluence](/source/Chemfluence) - [Distillation](/source/Distillation) - [Fluid dynamics](/source/Fluid_dynamics) - [Heat transfer](/source/Heat_transfer) - [List of chemical engineering societies](/source/List_of_chemical_engineering_societies) - [List of chemical engineers](/source/List_of_chemical_engineers) - [Mass transfer](/source/Mass_transfer) - [Process control](/source/Process_control) - [Process design (chemical engineering)](/source/Process_design_(chemical_engineering)) - [Process miniaturization](/source/Process_miniaturization) - [Unit operations](/source/Unit_operations) ### Associations - [American Institute of Chemical Engineers](/source/American_Institute_of_Chemical_Engineers) - [Chemical Institute of Canada](/source/Chemical_Institute_of_Canada) - [European Federation of Chemical Engineering](/source/European_Federation_of_Chemical_Engineering) - [Indian Institute of Chemical Engineers](/source/Indian_Institute_of_Chemical_Engineers) - [Institution of Chemical Engineers](/source/Institution_of_Chemical_Engineers) - [National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers](/source/National_Organization_for_the_Professional_Advancement_of_Black_Chemists_and_Chemical_Engineers) ## References 1. MobyDick *Dictionary of Engineering*, McGraw-Hill, 2nd Ed. 1. *Transactions of the IChemE* (1951) Volume 29 page 163 1. Herman Skolnik *in* W. F. Furter (ed) (1982) *A Century of Chemical Engineering* ISBN 0-306-40895-3 page 230 1. ["OED- oxford English Dictionary Chemical engineering online entry"](https://www.oed.com/dictionary/chemical-engineer_n?tl=true) 1. [Ure, Andrew](/source/Andrew_Ure) (1839) *A Dictionary of Arts Manufactures and Mines*, London: Longman, Orme, Brown, Green & Longman, page 1220 1. Colin Duvall and Sean F, Johnston (2000) *Scaling Up: The Institution of Chemical Engineers and the Rise of a New Profession* Kluwer Academic Publishers 1. [The Cornell daily Sun](https://cdsun.library.cornell.edu/cgi-bin/cornell?a=d&d=CDS19041026.2.25) Volume XXV, Number 25, 26 October 1904 1. [John C. Olsen (December 1932), *Chemical Engineering As A Profession: Origin and Early Growth of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers*](http://www.aiche.org/uploadedFiles/About/Centennial/CE_Profession-A.pdf) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20120813180349/http://www.aiche.org/uploadedFiles/About/Centennial/CE_Profession-A.pdf) 2012-08-13 at the Wayback Machine 1. *Transactions of the Institution of Chemical Engineers* volume 2 page 23 (1924) 1. [www.thechemicalengineer.com](http://www.thechemicalengineer.com/chemical-engineers-who-changed-the-world.aspx) [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20170211080528/http://www.thechemicalengineer.com/chemical-engineers-who-changed-the-world.aspx#) 2017-02-11 at the Wayback Machine Chemical engineers who changed the world 1. ["Chemical Engineering"](https://www.acs.org/careers/chemical-sciences/areas/chemical-engineering.html). *American Chemical Society*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20250815003644/https://www.acs.org/careers/chemical-sciences/areas/chemical-engineering.html) 2025-08-15 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2025-10-22. 1. ["What do Chemical Engineers Do?"](https://www.aiche.org/k-12/what-do-chemical-engineers-do). *AIChe*. 2012-06-05. Retrieved 2025-10-22. 1. ["What is Chemical Engineering?"](https://mechanicalengineeringhq.com/what-is-chemical-engineering/). *Mechanical Engineering HQ*. 2020-05-29. Retrieved 2025-10-22. 1. Chemical Engineering Progress June 2015 1. ["Announcing the 2017 AIChE Chemical Engineering Salary Survey"](https://www.aiche.org/chenected/2017/06/announcing-2017-aiche-chemical-engineering-salary-survey). *www.aiche.org*. 2017-06-14. Retrieved 2019-11-02. 1. Institution of Chemical Engineers Annual Review 2016 1. Bryan (2023-11-30). ["Average Graduate Salaries Among The Top Universities In The UK"](https://britannia-study.co.uk/universities/graduate-salary-uk/). *Britannia UK*. Retrieved 2023-12-06. 1. Brawner, C. E., Lord, S. M., Layton, R. A., Ohland, M. W., & Long, R. A., (2015) *International Journal of Engineering Education* Vol. 31, No. 6(A), 1431, "Factors Affecting Women’s Persistence in Chemical Engineering" 1. ["Employed persons by detailed occupation, sex, race, and Hispanic or Latino ethnicity"](https://www.bls.gov/cps/cpsaat11.htm). *Bureau of Labor Statistics*. 2024. Retrieved 2025-10-22. 1. ["U.S. Employment"](https://swe.org/research/2025/us-employment/). *Society of Women Engineers*. Retrieved 2025-10-22. 1. *The Chemical Engineer*, March 2015 p 20 1. ["WIC | Women in Chemical Engineering"](https://www.aiche.org/community/sites/committees/women-in-chemical-engineering). *www.aiche.org*. 2014-02-06. Retrieved 2025-10-22. 1. Khan, Zahra. ["The early-career engineer showcasing women in the chemical industry"](https://www.chemistryworld.com/careers/the-early-career-engineer-showcasing-women-in-the-chemical-industry/4019835.article). *Chemistry World*. Retrieved 2025-10-22. 1. ["IUPAC Distinguished Women in Chemistry or Chemical Engineering"](https://iupac.org/what-we-do/awards/iupac-distinguished-women/). *IUPAC*. Retrieved 2025-10-22. 1. ["Chemical Engineers : Occupational Outlook Handbook : U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics"](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/chemical-engineers.htm). [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20260201031843/https://www.bls.gov/ooh/architecture-and-engineering/chemical-engineers.htm) 2026-02-01 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 2026-02-01. ## External links - [American Institute of Chemical Engineers (USA)](http://www.aiche.org/) - [Institution of Chemical Engineers (UK)](http://www.icheme.org) - [Canadian Society for Chemical Engineers](https://web.archive.org/web/20061008130341/http://www.cheminst.ca/csche_home__e.htm) - [Engineers Australia (AUS)](https://web.archive.org/web/20060821035906/http://www.ieaust.org/) --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Chemical engineer](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemical_engineer) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chemical_engineer?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.