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Environmental Chemistry

Types of Degrees Environmental Chemistry Majors Are Earning

People majoring in Environmental Chemistry can earn degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Bachelor’s Degree	9
Master’s Degree	5
Doctor’s Degree	6

What Environmental Chemistry Majors Need to Know

Studies in Environmental Chemistry develop a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Environmental Chemistry graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

Coursework in Environmental Chemistry emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• English Language — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Chemistry — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Biology — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Computers and Electronics — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set built by a Environmental Chemistry program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to Environmental Chemistry careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Environmental Chemistry graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Getting Information	4.4 / 7
Working with Computers	4.3 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.1 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.0 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.0 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.0 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	4.0 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.0 / 7
Processing Information	3.9 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	3.8 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Environmental Chemistry professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	✓
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	—
Email software	Electronic mail software	—
ESRI ArcGIS software	Geographic information system	✓
R	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Microsoft Project	Project management software	—
SAS	Analytical or scientific software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Environmental Chemistry graduates include:

• Research Coordinator
• Clinical Project Manager
• Clinical Trials Manager
• University Faculty Member
• College Faculty Member
• Assistant Professor
• Professor
• College Professor
• Associate Professor
• Instructor
• Lecturer
• Postdoctoral Fellow
• Clinical Research Administrator
• Clinical Research Monitor
• Clinical Trial Coordinator

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Environmental Chemistry graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	33.7%
Master’s degree	23.0%
Doctoral degree	14.7%
Post-doctoral training	11.2%
High school diploma or equivalent	4.4%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	3.5%
Some college courses	3.4%
Postsecondary certificate	2.9%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	2.7%
First professional degree	0.3%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Environmental Chemistry?

Gender Distribution

This field has a relatively balanced gender distribution: 50% women and 50% men among Environmental Chemistry graduates.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	10	50.0%
Men	10	50.0%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Environmental Chemistry graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	13	65.0%
Asian	2	10.0%
Hispanic or Latino	2	10.0%
Race Unknown	1	5.0%
International Students	2	10.0%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Environmental Chemistry Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Environmental Chemistry graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$46,286
4 years	$61,499
5 years	$72,069

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $72,069 — roughly 56% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Is a Degree in Environmental Chemistry Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Environmental Chemistry graduates earn a median of $61,499 four years after completion — roughly 62% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Chemistry	40.05
Analytical Chemistry	40.0502
Chemical Physics	40.0508
Cheminformatics/Chemistry Informatics	40.0512
Chemistry, General	40.0501
Chemistry, Other	40.0599
Forensic Chemistry	40.0510
Inorganic Chemistry	40.0503
Organic Chemistry	40.0504
Physical Chemistry	40.0506
Polymer Chemistry	40.0507
Theoretical Chemistry	40.0511

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.