Chemists: Job Description
Conduct qualitative and quantitative chemical analyses or experiments in laboratories for quality or process control or to develop new products or knowledge.
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The Daily Work of Chemists Perform?
The day-to-day responsibilities of chemists span:
- Develop, improve, or customize products, equipment, formulas, processes, or analytical methods.
- Analyze organic or inorganic compounds to determine chemical or physical properties, composition, structure, relationships, or reactions, using chromatography, spectroscopy, or spectrophotometry techniques.
- Induce changes in composition of substances by introducing heat, light, energy, or chemical catalysts for quantitative or qualitative analysis.
- Conduct quality control tests.
- Write technical papers or reports or prepare standards and specifications for processes, facilities, products, or tests.
- Maintain laboratory instruments to ensure proper working order and troubleshoot malfunctions when needed.
- Prepare test solutions, compounds, or reagents for laboratory personnel to conduct tests.
- Compile and analyze test information to determine process or equipment operating efficiency or to diagnose malfunctions.
What Chemists Need to Know
Effective chemists combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
The competencies that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Related Job Titles
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Agricultural Chemist
- Air Quality Chemist
- Analytical Chemist
- Analytical Scientist
- Assay Development Scientist
- Astrochemist
- Bench Chemist
- Bench Scientist
Employment and Demand
There are roughly 88,892 chemists working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +3.1% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Chemists Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $59,779 |
| Hourly median | $28.74 |
| 10th percentile | $36,777 |
| 25th percentile | $48,278 |
| 75th percentile | $71,280 |
| 90th percentile | $82,780 |
Wages vary widely based on experience, location, and industry.
Chemists Salary by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| District of Columbia | $153,320 |
| New Mexico | $134,370 |
| Maryland | $131,910 |
| Massachusetts | $126,970 |
| Delaware | $125,430 |
| Louisiana | $109,150 |
| West Virginia | $108,010 |
| Texas | $101,260 |
| Virginia | $99,810 |
| Colorado | $97,380 |
| Rhode Island | $97,300 |
| Illinois | $97,170 |
| California | $97,010 |
| Alabama | $96,000 |
| Alaska | $95,300 |
| Georgia | $94,890 |
| Washington | $92,860 |
| Connecticut | $88,340 |
| New Jersey | $85,010 |
| Oregon | $84,150 |
| New York | $83,690 |
| Hawaii | $83,200 |
| Minnesota | $82,040 |
| Iowa | $81,830 |
| New Hampshire | $81,780 |
| Missouri | $81,720 |
| Vermont | $81,460 |
| Michigan | $81,410 |
| Ohio | $80,360 |
| Oklahoma | $79,990 |
| Kentucky | $79,800 |
| North Dakota | $79,350 |
| Arizona | $79,330 |
| North Carolina | $78,400 |
| Mississippi | $78,260 |
| South Carolina | $77,900 |
| Utah | $77,270 |
| Wyoming | $76,570 |
| Indiana | $75,880 |
| Wisconsin | $75,020 |
| Florida | $74,860 |
| Nevada | $72,810 |
| Puerto Rico | $71,830 |
| Arkansas | $71,080 |
| Nebraska | $67,880 |
| Kansas | $66,310 |
| Tennessee | $65,340 |
| South Dakota | $64,480 |
| Pennsylvania | $63,450 |
| Montana | $60,100 |
| Idaho | $59,460 |
| Maine | $58,750 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Compensation for chemists differ across the country. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| New England | $113,575 | 5.8% | 1.42 |
| Southwest | $97,568 | 8.6% | 0.70 |
| Far Western US | $95,077 | 13.4% | 0.85 |
| Middle Atlantic | $85,203 | 28.3% | 2.40 |
| Rocky Mountains | $85,196 | 3.9% | 1.00 |
| Southeast | $83,270 | 16.1% | 1.05 |
| Great Lakes | $82,981 | 17.3% | 1.24 |
| Plains States | $78,383 | 5.8% | 0.89 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Chemists
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | DC | $145,430 | 2,640 |
| Albuquerque, NM | NM | $137,740 | 160 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | MA | $130,830 | 2,870 |
| Lake Charles, LA | LA | $130,770 | 160 |
| Midland, MI | MI | $129,700 | 310 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | LA | $127,860 | 220 |
| Huntsville, AL | AL | $127,070 | 120 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $126,190 | 2,040 |
Which Industries Hire Chemists
The bulk of chemists work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 31,780 | $83,370 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 27,700 | $79,710 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 3,430 | $106,040 |
| Wholesale Trade | 3,330 | $87,200 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 2,640 | $62,050 |
| Educational Services | 2,090 | $68,540 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 770 | $79,720 |
| Utilities | 520 | $109,060 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Software Chemists Use
- Development environment software: C (hot technology)
- Object or component oriented development software: C++ (hot technology)
- Enterprise application integration software: Extensible markup language XML (hot technology)
- Web platform development software: Hypertext markup language HTML (hot technology)
- Data base user interface and query software: Microsoft Access (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Process mapping and design software: Microsoft Visio (hot technology)
- Development environment software: Microsoft Visual Basic (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Object or component oriented development software: Oracle Java (hot technology)
Work Environment
Daily working conditions for chemists tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
Getting Started in This Career
Entry-level chemists positions require a bachelor’s degree as the typical entry-level education. This occupation sits in Considerable Preparation Needed (Job Zone 4), signaling the level of preparation typically expected.
Similar Occupations
Similar Occupations
- Natural Sciences Managers (Primary-Long)
- Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers (Primary-Long)
- Chemical Engineers (Primary-Short)
- Industrial Engineers (Primary-Long)
- Materials Engineers (Primary-Long)
- Nanosystems Engineers (Supplemental)
- Industrial Engineering Technologists and Technicians (Supplemental)
- Nanotechnology Engineering Technologists and Technicians (Supplemental)
Degree Programs
Aspiring chemists often complete programs in:
Physical Sciences
13 programs across 2 majors
Health Professions and Related Programs
1 programs across 1 majors
About the Data
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 19-2031.00 (Chemists).
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