16. Michigan
Annual median wage: $81,900
Cost of living: 88.2
Employment: 610
Michigan could be your go-to state when you’re looking for a chemical engineering job and you’re big on practicality. Yes, it does not pay its chemical engineers as much as, say, Massachusetts does, but look closely on how much you’re going to spend on your living expenses. Having a salary that is higher than most states and a cost of living index that’s generally cheaper than most states is already hard to beat.