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Physical Chemistry

Types of Degrees Physical Chemistry Majors Are Earning

Those studying Physical Chemistry may pursue degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Bachelor’s Degree	1
Doctor’s Degree	7

What Physical Chemistry Majors Need to Know

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

Knowledge Areas

Coursework in Physical Chemistry emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• English Language — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Chemistry — Importance 3.6 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.

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

Skills

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

• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Physical Chemistry careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.

Common Job Activities

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

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Working with Computers	4.3 / 7
Getting Information	4.3 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.2 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.1 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.1 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.0 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	3.9 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	3.9 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	3.9 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	3.9 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Physical Chemistry professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	—
R	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Microsoft Project	Project management software	—
IBM SPSS Statistics	Analytical or scientific software	—
SAS	Analytical or scientific software	—
Clinical trial management software	Data base user interface and query software	✓

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Physical Chemistry graduates include:

• Clinical Trials Manager
• Research Coordinator
• Clinical Project Manager
• Postdoctoral Fellow
• Postdoctoral Researcher
• Clinical Trial Coordinator
• Postdoctoral Research Fellow
• Clinical Research Monitor
• Clinical Program Coordinator
• Postdoctoral Associate
• Clinical Research Coordinator
• Clinical Research Nurse Coordinator
• Oncology Clinical Research Coordinator
• Clinical Study Manager
• Clinical Research Director

Education Typically Required

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

Education Level	Share of Workers
Bachelor’s degree	37.7%
Master’s degree	19.1%
Post-doctoral training	13.4%
Doctoral degree	12.5%
Postsecondary certificate	4.8%
Some college courses	3.9%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	3.4%
High school diploma or equivalent	2.9%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	2.4%

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

Who Is Earning a Degree in Physical Chemistry?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 75% of Physical Chemistry degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	2	25.0%
Men	6	75.0%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	1	12.5%
Hispanic or Latino	2	25.0%
Two or More Races	2	25.0%
Race Unknown	2	25.0%
International Students	1	12.5%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Physical Chemistry Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Physical Chemistry graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise 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 Physical Chemistry Worth It?

Strictly by the federal earnings tracker, Physical 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
Environmental Chemistry	40.0509
Forensic Chemistry	40.0510
Inorganic Chemistry	40.0503
Organic Chemistry	40.0504
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.