Chemistry

Types of Degrees Chemistry Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many chemistry graduations there were for each degree level during the last year for which data was available.

Education Level	Number of Grads
Bachelor’s Degree	13,247
Doctor’s Degree	3,103
Master’s Degree	2,413
Associate Degree	1,052
Basic Certificate	99
Graduate Certificate	49
Undergraduate Certificate	13

What Chemistry Majors Need to Know

O*NET surveyed people in occupations related to chemistry and asked them what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important for their jobs. The responses were rated on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being 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

The following list of skills has been highlighted as some of the most essential for careers related to chemistry:

• 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 a chemistry major, you will find yourself needing the following abilities:

• 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 Bachelor’s Degree in Chemistry?

Chemistry runs middle of the road when it comes to popularity, ranking #36 out of all the undergraduate majors we track. In 2021, about 14,951 graduates completed their bachelor’s degree in this field. The major attracts more women than men. About 55% of the recent graduates in this field are female.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	1,722
Black or African American	927
Hispanic or Latino	1,925
White	6,937
International Students	810
Other Races/Ethnicities	926

Geographic Diversity

Students from other countries are interested in Chemistry, too. About 6.1% of those with this major are international students.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Chemistry

Some careers associated with chemistry require an advanced degree while some may not even require a bachelor’s. In general, the more advanced your degree the more career options will open up to you. However, there is significant time and money that needs to be invested into your education so weigh the pros and cons.

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

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)	12	0
Certificate (2-4 Years)	0	0
Associate’s Degree	234	9
Bachelor’s Degree	29	5
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	352	10
Post-Master’s	5	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	234	0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	2	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	0	0

Majors Related to Chemistry

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

Major	Number of Grads
Physics	13,306
Geological & Earth Sciences	7,691
General Physical Sciences	2,747
Astronomy & Astrophysics	1,573
Atmospheric Sciences & Meteorology	1,288
Materials Sciences	679
Other Physical Science	404
Physics and Astronomy	45

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.