Chemistry

Types of Degrees Chemistry Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many chemistry graduations there were in 2020-2021 for each degree level.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Doctor’s Degree	2,721
Master’s Degree	2,246
Graduate Certificate	38

What Chemistry Majors Need to Know

In an O*NET survey, chemistry majors were asked to rate what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important in their occupations. These answers were weighted on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most important.

Knowledge Areas for Chemistry Majors

Chemistry majors often go into careers in which the following knowledge areas are important:

• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
• Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
• Chemistry - Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
• Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Skills for Chemistry Majors

When studying chemistry, you’ll learn many skills that will help you be successful in a wide range of jobs - even those that do not require a degree in the field. The following is a list of some of the most common skills needed for careers associated with this major:

• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Abilities for Chemistry Majors

As you progress with your chemistry degree, there are several abilities you should pick up that will help you in whatever related career you choose. These abilities include:

• Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
• Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
• Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
• Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
• Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.

What Can You Do With a Chemistry Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with chemistry:

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Chemistry Professors	9.9%	$79,550
Chemists	6.5%	$76,890
Clinical Research Coordinators	9.9%	$123,860
Environmental Restoration Planners	11.1%	$71,130
Environmental Science Professors	10.1%	$79,910
Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health	11.1%	$71,130
Forensic Science Technicians	16.9%	$58,230
Industrial Ecologists	11.1%	$71,130
Natural Sciences Managers	9.9%	$123,860
Physics Postsecondary Professors	10.2%	$90,800
Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education	7.5%	$60,320
Water Resource Specialists	9.9%	$123,860

Who Is Getting a Master’s Degree in Chemistry?

According to recent stats this major attracts about equal numbers of men and women. Roughly 47% of the graduates are women, and 53% are men.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of chemistry majors is as follows:

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	191
Black or African American	87
Hispanic or Latino	203
White	1,018
International Students	634
Other Races/Ethnicities	113

Geographic Diversity

Americans aren’t the only ones with an interest in Chemistry. About 28.2% of those with this major are international students. The most popular countries for students from outside the country are:

• China
• India
• South Korea
• Saudi Arabia
• Sri Lanka

How Much Do Chemistry Majors Make?

Master’s Degree Starting Salary

According to 2019-2020 data from the U.S. Department of Education, students who graduated with a master’s degree in chemistry have a median salary of $51,030 during the early years of their career. During this timeframe, most salaries fell between $51,030 (25th percentile) and $67,269 (75th percentile).

Note that some of these people may have jobs that are not directly related to a chemistry degree.

Salaries According to BLS

Chemistry majors often go into careers where salaries can range from $64,340 to $92,360 (25th to 75th percentile). This range includes all degree levels, so you may expect those with a more advanced degree to make more while those with less advanced degrees will typically make less.

To put that into context, according to BLS data from the first quarter of 2020, the typical high school graduate makes between $30,000 and $57,900 a year (25th through 75th percentile). The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $45,600 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,600 and $125,400.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Chemistry

Some degrees associated with chemistry may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. Whatever the case may be, pursuing more education usually means that more career options will be available to you.

How much schooling do you really need to compete in today’s job market? People currently working in careers related to chemistry have obtained the following education levels.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)	1.2%
Post-Secondary Certificate - awarded for training completed after high school (for example, in agriculture or natural resources, computer services, personal or culinary services, engineering technologies, healthcare, construction trades, mechanic and repair technologies, or precision production)	0.6%
Some College Courses	3.4%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	2.3%
Bachelor’s Degree	36.3%
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master.	3.6%
Master’s Degree	23.8%
Post-Master’s Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Master’s degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees at the doctoral level.	0.8%
First Professional Degree - awarded for completion of a program that: requires at least 2 years of college work before entrance into the program, includes a total of at least 6 academic years of work to complete, and provides all remaining academic requirements to begin practice in a profession.	0.5%
Doctoral Degree	17.7%
Post-Doctoral Training	9.8%

Online Chemistry Programs

In the 2020-2021 academic year, 1,388 schools offered some type of chemistry program. The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level	Colleges Offering Programs	Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year)	0	0
Certificate (1-2 years)	8	1
Certificate (2-4 Years)	0	0
Associate’s Degree	236	11
Bachelor’s Degree	22	2
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	350	6
Post-Master’s	5	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	234	0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	1	0

Is a Degree in Chemistry Worth It?

The median salary for a chemistry grad is $83,850 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

This is 110% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $879,000 after 20 years!

Majors Related to Chemistry

You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to chemistry.

Major	Number of Grads
Physics	3,727
Geological & Earth Sciences	2,491
Materials Sciences	448
Astronomy & Astrophysics	371
Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology	342
Other Physical Science	191
General Physical Sciences	107
Physics and Astronomy	23

References

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• College Scorecard
• National Center for Education Statistics
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• Usual Weekly Earnings of Wage and Salary Workers First Quarter 2020

More about our data sources and methodologies.