content: <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><edgarSubmission xmlns="http://www.sec.gov/edgar/ownership" xmlns:com="http://www.sec.gov/edgar/common">
    <headerData>
      <submissionType>144</submissionType>
      <filerInfo>
        <filer>
          <filerCredentials>
            <cik>0001229289</cik>
            <ccc>XXXXXXXX</ccc>
          </filerCredentials>
        </filer>
        <liveTestFlag>LIVE</liveTestFlag>
  
  
  
      </filerInfo>
    </headerData>
    <formData>
      <issuerInfo>
        <issuerCik>0000094049</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>STEPAN CO</issuerName>
        <secFileNumber>001-04462</secFileNumber>
        <issuerAddress>
          <com:street1>EDENS &amp; WINNETKA ROAD</com:street1>
          <com:city>NORTHFIELD</com:city>
          <com:stateOrCountry>IL</com:stateOrCountry>
          <com:zipCode>60093</com:zipCode>
        </issuerAddress>
        <issuerContactPhone>8474467500</issuerContactPhone>
        <nameOfPersonForWhoseAccountTheSecuritiesAreToBeSold>STEPAN F QUINN JR</nameOfPersonForWhoseAccountTheSecuritiesAreToBeSold>
        <relationshipsToIssuer>
          <relationshipToIssuer>Director</relationshipToIssuer>
        </relationshipsToIssuer>
      </issuerInfo>
      <securitiesInformation>
        <securitiesClassTitle>Common</securitiesClassTitle>
        <brokerOrMarketmakerDetails>
          <name>Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC</name>
          <address>
            <com:street1>900 Salem Street</com:street1>
            <com:city>Smithfield</com:city>
            <com:stateOrCountry>RI</com:stateOrCountry>
            <com:zipCode>02917</com:zipCode>
          </address>
        </brokerOrMarketmakerDetails>
        <noOfUnitsSold>1000</noOfUnitsSold>
        <aggregateMarketValue>86220.00</aggregateMarketValue>
        <noOfUnitsOutstanding>22381409</noOfUnitsOutstanding>
        <approxSaleDate>03/06/2024</approxSaleDate>
        <securitiesExchangeName>NYSE</securitiesExchangeName>
      </securitiesInformation>
      <securitiesToBeSold>
        <securitiesClassTitle>Common</securitiesClassTitle>
        <acquiredDate>02/01/2024</acquiredDate>
        <natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>Restricted Stock Vesting</natureOfAcquisitionTransaction>
        <nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>Issuer</nameOfPersonfromWhomAcquired>
        <isGiftTransaction>N</isGiftTransaction>
        <amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>1000</amountOfSecuritiesAcquired>
        <paymentDate>02/01/2024</paymentDate>
        <natureOfPayment>Compensation</natureOfPayment>
      </securitiesToBeSold>
      <nothingToReportFlagOnSecuritiesSoldInPast3Months>N</nothingToReportFlagOnSecuritiesSoldInPast3Months>
      <securitiesSoldInPast3Months>
        <sellerDetails>
          <name>Frank Q. Stepan Jr</name>
          <address>
            <com:street1>1101 Skokie Boulevard</com:street1>
            <com:street2>Suite 500</com:street2>
            <com:city>Northbrook</com:city>
            <com:stateOrCountry>IL</com:stateOrCountry>
            <com:zipCode>60062</com:zipCode>
          </address>
        </sellerDetails>
        <securitiesClassTitle>Common</securitiesClassTitle>
        <saleDate>02/22/2024</saleDate>
        <amountOfSecuritiesSold>5000</amountOfSecuritiesSold>
        <grossProceeds>457747.50</grossProceeds>
      </securitiesSoldInPast3Months>
      <securitiesSoldInPast3Months>
        <sellerDetails>
          <name>Frank Q. Stepan Jr</name>
          <address>
            <com:street1>1101 Skokie Boulevar</com:street1>
            <com:street2>Suite 500</com:street2>
            <com:city>Northbrook</com:city>
            <com:stateOrCountry>IL</com:stateOrCountry>
            <com:zipCode>60062</com:zipCode>
          </address>
        </sellerDetails>
        <securitiesClassTitle>Common</securitiesClassTitle>
        <saleDate>02/23/2024</saleDate>
        <amountOfSecuritiesSold>5000</amountOfSecuritiesSold>
        <grossProceeds>455353.00</grossProceeds>
      </securitiesSoldInPast3Months>
      <securitiesSoldInPast3Months>
        <sellerDetails>
          <name>Frank Q. Stepan Jr</name>
          <address>
            <com:street1>1101 Skokie Boulevard</com:street1>
            <com:street2>Suite 500</com:street2>
            <com:city>Northbrook</com:city>
            <com:stateOrCountry>IL</com:stateOrCountry>
            <com:zipCode>60062</com:zipCode>
          </address>
        </sellerDetails>
        <securitiesClassTitle>Common</securitiesClassTitle>
        <saleDate>02/26/2024</saleDate>
        <amountOfSecuritiesSold>3637</amountOfSecuritiesSold>
        <grossProceeds>327716.25</grossProceeds>
      </securitiesSoldInPast3Months>
      <securitiesSoldInPast3Months>
        <sellerDetails>
          <name>Frank Q. Stepan Jr</name>
          <address>
            <com:street1>1101 Skokie Boulevard</com:street1>
            <com:street2>Suite 500</com:street2>
            <com:city>Northbrook</com:city>
            <com:stateOrCountry>IL</com:stateOrCountry>
            <com:zipCode>60062</com:zipCode>
          </address>
        </sellerDetails>
        <securitiesClassTitle>Common</securitiesClassTitle>
        <saleDate>02/27/2024</saleDate>
        <amountOfSecuritiesSold>6363</amountOfSecuritiesSold>
        <grossProceeds>570027.19</grossProceeds>
      </securitiesSoldInPast3Months>
      <securitiesSoldInPast3Months>
        <sellerDetails>
          <name>Frank Q. Stepan Jr</name>
          <address>
            <com:street1>1101 Skokie Boulevard</com:street1>
            <com:street2>Suite 500</com:street2>
            <com:city>Northbrook</com:city>
            <com:stateOrCountry>IL</com:stateOrCountry>
            <com:zipCode>60062</com:zipCode>
          </address>
        </sellerDetails>
        <securitiesClassTitle>Common</securitiesClassTitle>
        <saleDate>03/05/2024</saleDate>
        <amountOfSecuritiesSold>1000</amountOfSecuritiesSold>
        <grossProceeds>87485.01</grossProceeds>
      </securitiesSoldInPast3Months>
      <remarks>Frank Q. Stepan Jr and F. Quinn Stepan Jr are one and the same person.</remarks>
      <noticeSignature>
        <noticeDate>03/06/2024</noticeDate>
        <signature>/s/ Ryan Riviere, as a duly authorized representative of Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC, as attorney-in-fact for Frank Q. Stepan Jr</signature>
      </noticeSignature>
    </formData>
  </edgarSubmission>
metadata_documents: [{"type": "144", "sequence": "1", "filename": "primary_doc.xml", "secsgml_size_bytes": 6118}]
text: 144
  0001229289
  XXXXXXXX
  LIVE
  0000094049
  STEPAN CO
  001-04462
  EDENS & WINNETKA ROAD
  NORTHFIELD
  IL
  60093
  8474467500
  STEPAN F QUINN JR
  Director
  Common
  Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC
  900 Salem Street
  Smithfield
  RI
  02917
  1000
  86220.00
  22381409
  03/06/2024
  NYSE
  Common
  02/01/2024
  Restricted Stock Vesting
  Issuer
  N
  1000
  02/01/2024
  Compensation
  N
  Frank Q. Stepan Jr
  1101 Skokie Boulevard
  Suite 500
  Northbrook
  IL
  60062
  Common
  02/22/2024
  5000
  457747.50
  Frank Q. Stepan Jr
  1101 Skokie Boulevar
  Suite 500
  Northbrook
  IL
  60062
  Common
  02/23/2024
  5000
  455353.00
  Frank Q. Stepan Jr
  1101 Skokie Boulevard
  Suite 500
  Northbrook
  IL
  60062
  Common
  02/26/2024
  3637
  327716.25
  Frank Q. Stepan Jr
  1101 Skokie Boulevard
  Suite 500
  Northbrook
  IL
  60062
  Common
  02/27/2024
  6363
  570027.19
  Frank Q. Stepan Jr
  1101 Skokie Boulevard
  Suite 500
  Northbrook
  IL
  60062
  Common
  03/05/2024
  1000
  87485.01
  Frank Q. Stepan Jr and F. Quinn Stepan Jr are one and the same person.
  03/06/2024
  /s/ Ryan Riviere, as a duly authorized representative of Fidelity Brokerage Services LLC, as attorney-in-fact for Frank Q. Stepan Jr