Chemistry Graduate Programs

Career Opportunities

Most persons with college degrees in chemistry are employed either in industry, government, or academia.

Industries that employ significant numbers of chemists include food, metallurgical, petroleum, polymer, paints / coatings, pharmaceutical, and personal-care product manufacturers.

Government agencies that employ chemists include basic research organizations such as the National Institutes of Health, applied research organizations such as the National Institute of Standards and Technology, executive bodies such as the Environmental Protection Agency, and national and local law enforcement agencies.

Academic opportunities for chemists include high school teaching, college / university teaching, and research at universities or scientific institutes.

American Chemical Society is the major professional organization for chemists. A 1999 survey of ACS members found the following:

• Median annual salaries (in thousands of dollars) by employment sector and highest academic degree
• Median salaries for chemists have risen substantially faster than inflation for the third consecutive year.
• Only 2.3% of chemists were jobless, about half the national unemployment rate.
  
  

	B.S.	M.S.	Ph.D.
Industry	51.2	65.0	85.0
Government	53.0	60.3	75.4
Academia	36.0	47.3	59.6

(Source: Chemical & Engineering News, August 2, 1999)


Many other professions are based on the chemical sciences and require some college training in chemistry. These include botany, zoology, microbiology, physiology, molecular biology, medicine, dentistry, physical therapy, dietetics, nursing, pharmacy, toxicology, engineering, materials science, environmental science, and forensics.