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Polymer Chemistry

Types of Degrees Polymer Chemistry Majors Are Earning

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

Award Level	Graduates
Bachelor’s Degree	2
Master’s Degree	49
Doctor’s Degree	32

What Polymer Chemistry Majors Need to Know

Coursework for Polymer Chemistry build a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Polymer Chemistry graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Polymer 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 Polymer 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

Abilities most relevant to Polymer 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, Polymer 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 Polymer Chemistry professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Microsoft Access	Data base user interface and query software	—
R	Object or component oriented development software	✓
Microsoft Project	Project management software	—
StataCorp Stata	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 Polymer Chemistry graduates include:

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

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Polymer 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 Polymer Chemistry?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly male, with men earning 62.7% of Polymer Chemistry degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	31	37.3%
Men	52	62.7%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	25	30.1%
Asian	5	6.0%
Hispanic or Latino	3	3.6%
Two or More Races	1	1.2%
Race Unknown	2	2.4%
International Students	47	56.6%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Polymer Chemistry Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Polymer 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 Polymer Chemistry Worth It?

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, Polymer 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
Physical Chemistry	40.0506
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.