Chemical Physics

Types of Degrees Chemical Physics Majors Are Getting

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

Education Level	Number of Grads
Bachelor’s Degree	37
Doctor’s Degree	15

What Chemical Physics Majors Need to Know

O*NET surveyed people in occupations related to chemical physics 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 Chemical Physics Majors

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

• Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
• English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
• 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.
• 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.
• Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.

Skills for Chemical Physics Majors

A major in chemical physics prepares you for careers in which the following skill-sets are crucial:

• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
• 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.
• Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.

Abilities for Chemical Physics Majors

Some of the most crucial abilities to master while a chemical physics student include the following:

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

What Can You Do With a Chemical Physics Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with chemical physics:

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
Natural Sciences Managers	9.9%	$123,860
Physics Postsecondary Professors	10.2%	$90,800

Who Is Getting a Bachelor’s Degree in Chemical Physics?

This major tends to be male dominated. About 76% of recent graduates are men.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

Race/Ethnicity	Number of Grads
Asian	8
Black or African American	1
Hispanic or Latino	2
White	19
International Students	5
Other Races/Ethnicities	2

Geographic Diversity

Americans aren’t the only ones with an interest in Chemical Physics. About 13.5% of those with this major are international students.

Amount of Education Required for Careers Related to Chemical Physics

Some careers associated with chemical physics 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.

Find out what the typical degree level is for chemical physics careers below.

Education Level	Percentage of Workers
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)	1.4%
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)	1.5%
Some College Courses	0.1%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree)	2.7%
Bachelor’s Degree	34.8%
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.	2.7%
Master’s Degree	19.6%
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.	0.2%
Doctoral Degree	22.7%
Post-Doctoral Training	13.9%

Online Chemical Physics 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)	0	0
Certificate (2-4 Years)	0	0
Associate’s Degree	0	0
Bachelor’s Degree	0	0
Post-Baccalaureate	0	0
Master’s Degree	2	0
Post-Master’s	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Research)	7	0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice)	0	0
Doctor’s Degree (Other)	0	0

Majors Related to Chemical Physics

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

Major	Number of Grads
General Chemistry	18,809
Other Chemistry	603
Forensic Chemistry	338
Polymer Chemistry	85
Analytical Chemistry	40
Environmental Chemistry	23
Physical Chemistry	10
Theoretical Chemistry	8
Organic Chemistry	6
Inorganic Chemistry	1
Cheminformatics/Chemistry Informatics	1

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.