Chemistry

Career Opportunities

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Chemists and materials scientists study substances at the atomic and molecular levels and analyze the ways in which the substances interact with one another.”

BLS: The median annual wage for chemists was $79,300 in May 2020. The median annual wage for materials scientists was $99,460 in May 2020.

Overall employment of chemists and materials scientists is projected to grow 6 percent from 2020 to 2030, about as fast as the average for all occupations.

On average, about 9,100 openings for chemists and materials scientists are projected each year over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force via retirement or other reasons.

Employment Information

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Chemistry Major Skill Set

  • Understanding the scientific method
  • Setting up experiments
  • Using scientific equipment
  • Applying laboratory techniques and procedures
  • Gathering, organizing and analyzing data

Potential Job Titles

  • Agricultural chemist
  • Atmospheric chemist
  • Biochemistry research scientist
  • Clinical chemist
  • Environmental chemist
  • Food chemist
  • Forensic chemist
  • Industrial chemist
  • Medical chemist
  • Oceanographic chemist
  • Pharmaceutical chemist
  • Physical research chemist
  • Process control chemist
  • Standards chemist
  • Theoretical chemist
  • Water purification chemist

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