What Can I Do With This Major?

Chemistry is a practical field with a broad range of career possibilities. Salaries depend on degree earned and level and type of experience.

Within 2-4 years of graduating with a BS or BA degree, the median salary for chemists is $42,000, with the lowest and highest 10% earning $31,000 and $53,000 respectively. At the other extreme, within 25-30 years of obtaining a PhD, the median chemist's salary is $104,000, with the lowest and highest 10% earning $67,000 and $170,000 respectively.

While chemists with different degrees may work on the same projects together, a higher degree (PhD vs. MS vs. BA) allows greater autonomy & responsibility. Unemployment rates in chemistry are typically below 2%.

Core Disciplines

Analytical: emphasis is on determining chemical composition of samples.

Biochemistry: emphasis is on characterizing biomolecules (e.g. proteins, nucleic acids, carbohydrates) and determining their biological function.

Inorganic: emphasis is on synthesis, reactivity and analysis of materials in which elements other than carbon play the key roles.

Organic: emphasis is on structure, properties, and reactivity of carbon-based molecules.

Physical: emphasis is on the mathematical basis for chemical phenomena.