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 Waco: $118K/year. Data from BLS, O*NET, and H-1B disclosures.
Figures represent annual base salary in Waco, Texas. 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 Waco earn approximately 6% lower than the US national median for this role — a $7,000 discount on annual base salary. Waco's lower wage level partially reflects the area's cost-of-living index of 82 (US avg = 100).
Adjusted for Waco's cost-of-living index (82), the median Petrochemical Engineer salary buys the equivalent of $143,902 in a US-average-cost city. That's $18,902 more purchasing power than the national median — a meaningful real-wage advantage.
Texas has no state income tax, which is worth roughly $10,974 per year at this salary level compared to a California Petrochemical Engineer on the same gross pay. A Waco Petrochemical Engineer would need to earn $130,099 in California to net the same take-home.
Based on BLS 2022–2032 Employment Projections and WEF Future of Jobs Report 2026. At current growth rates, median salary reaches $118K by 2030.
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The median Petrochemical Engineer salary in Waco, TX is $118,000 per year as of Q1 2026. This figure represents the midpoint of all reported compensation for this role in the Waco–TX 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 Waco with 0–2 years of experience typically earn between $89,000 and $118,000 annually. Mid-career professionals with 3–7 years command $118,000 to $152,000, while senior-level practitioners with 8+ years of experience regularly earn $152,000 to $193,000 or more.
Waco has a cost of living index of 82 compared to the US national average of 100. This means your salary goes approximately 18% further in Waco than the national average. Crucially, Texas has no state income tax — giving Waco-based Petrochemical Engineers an immediate 5–7% take-home pay advantage over workers in states like California (9.3%) or New York (6.85%).
Bachelor's in Chemical or Petroleum Engineering. 15% of these roles offer some remote flexibility.