Work Route

Chemical Engineering: from a US degree to a green card

CIP 14.0701

This is a STEM-designated major, so graduates can work on OPT for up to 36 months. That allows up to three tries in the H-1B lottery.

  1. Degree – Median bachelor's earnings, year 1
    Across – programs
  2. OPT 36 months 12 months plus a 24-month STEM extension
  3. H-1B $124,555 Median salary for chemical engineers
    672 certified across the main jobs
  4. Green card 128 PERM labor certifications, 92.1% certified
    Median processing about 489 days

Jobs graduates go into

Grouped by US Standard Occupational Classification. Salaries are the wages offered on H-1B applications and exclude bonuses and stock.

JobH-1B certifiedMedian salaryMiddle half of salariesGreen cards certified
Chemical engineersSOC 17-2041 672 $124,555 $103,080 – $148,727 128

Top H-1B employers

Chemical engineers

EmployerCertifiedMedian
TESLA, INC.16$160,000
APPLIED MATERIALS, INC16$152,277
EVONIK CORPORATION16$118,079
ELI LILLY AND COMPANY10$143,186
MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.10$122,894
APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.9$151,070
AMGEN INC.9$143,021
MERCK SHARP & DOHME LLC8$123,594
THE DOW CHEMICAL COMPANY7$117,498
CUMMINS INC.7$97,600

Top green card sponsors

Chemical engineers

EmployerCertified
MICRON TECHNOLOGY, INC.9
THE DOW CHEMICAL COMPANY4
AMGEN INC.4
FORMOSA PLASTICS CORPORATION, TEXAS4
WORLEY GROUP, INC.3
BAYER CROPSCIENCE LP2
AM BATTERIES, INC.2
NORTH AMERICAN STAINLESS2
TECHNIP ENERGIES USA, INC.2
BERKSHIRE STERILE MANUFACTURING, INC.2
APPLIED MATERIALS, INC.2
LINDE INC.2
PYRAN, INC.2
DURR SYSTEMS, INC.2
WESTERN DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES, INC.2

Where the jobs are

Schools with the highest graduate earnings

Median earnings one year after graduation, from US Department of Education tax records for students who received federal aid. International students are not included in these figures.

SchoolYear 1Later years
No programs with published earnings.

Other majors