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Theoretical Chemistry

Types of Degrees Theoretical Chemistry Majors Are Earning

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

Award Level	Graduates
Bachelor’s Degree	4
Doctor’s Degree	2

What Theoretical Chemistry Majors Need to Know

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

Knowledge Areas

According to O*NET, a major in Theoretical 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 developed in a Theoretical 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 Theoretical 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, Theoretical 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 Theoretical Chemistry professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Microsoft Word	Word processing 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	✓
The MathWorks MATLAB	Analytical or scientific software	—
SAS	Analytical or scientific software	—
IBM SPSS Statistics	Analytical or scientific software	—
Microsoft Project	Project management software	—

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

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Theoretical Chemistry graduates include:

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

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Theoretical 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 Theoretical Chemistry?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 66.7% of Theoretical Chemistry degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	4	66.7%
Men	2	33.3%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

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

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	1	16.7%
Asian	1	16.7%
Hispanic or Latino	1	16.7%
Black or African American	1	16.7%
International Students	2	33.3%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Theoretical Chemistry Graduates Earn?

The U.S. Department of Education tracks median earnings of Theoretical Chemistry graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow 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 Theoretical Chemistry Worth It?

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, Theoretical 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
Polymer Chemistry	40.0507

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.