Design and optimize the processes that turn crude oil and natural gas into fuels, plastics, and chemicals — blending chemical and process engineering in the energy sector. Median salary in Lafayette: $119K/year. Data from BLS, O*NET, and H-1B disclosures.
Figures represent annual base salary in Lafayette, Louisiana. Reviewed by SalaryOptics Editorial · How we calculate this →
Analysis derived from the salary, COL, tax, and labor-market figures above — specific to this role and city.
Petrochemical Engineers in Lafayette earn approximately 5% lower than the US national median for this role — a $6,000 discount on annual base salary. Lafayette's lower wage level partially reflects the area's cost-of-living index of 85 (US avg = 100).
Adjusted for Lafayette's cost-of-living index (85), the median Petrochemical Engineer salary buys the equivalent of $140,000 in a US-average-cost city. That's $15,000 more purchasing power than the national median — a meaningful real-wage advantage.
Only 15% of Petrochemical Engineer positions offer remote flexibility, meaning the Lafayette salary above represents what local employers actually pay — not a remote-anywhere rate. Geographic constraints reinforce the local market, so the salary range above is more directly applicable than for remote-friendly roles.
Based on BLS 2022–2032 Employment Projections and WEF Future of Jobs Report 2026. At current growth rates, median salary reaches $119K by 2030.
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The median Petrochemical Engineer salary in Lafayette, LA is $119,000 per year as of Q1 2026. This figure represents the midpoint of all reported compensation for this role in the Lafayette–LA metropolitan area, based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics, H-1B visa disclosures from the Department of Labor, and O*NET occupational data.
Entry-level Petrochemical Engineers in Lafayette with 0–2 years of experience typically earn between $90,000 and $119,000 annually. Mid-career professionals with 3–7 years command $119,000 to $154,000, while senior-level practitioners with 8+ years of experience regularly earn $154,000 to $195,000 or more.
Lafayette has a cost of living index of 85 compared to the US national average of 100. This means your salary goes approximately 15% further in Lafayette than the national average. Louisiana has a 6% state income tax rate.
Bachelor's in Chemical or Petroleum Engineering. 15% of these roles offer some remote flexibility.