Chemistry is essential to meeting our basic needs for food, clothing, shelter, health, energy, air, water, and soil. It is a fast-growing profession in the physical science field with a wide variety of incredibly fascinating majors, but which one is in demand?
Studying chemistry is very useful, and to prepare you for the real world, we will connect you with the 10 top chemistry careers that are marketable, including their salaries and job prospects. It is your responsibility to choose the one that suits your carer goals.
Chemistry is a scientific discipline that deals with elements and compounds, their transformations, and the energy released or absorbed during these processes. It applies to the food industry, retail, transportation, the arts, and housework.
Chemical technologies enrich our quality of life by offering new solutions to health-related problems, materials, and energy consumption.
With a bachelor’s level education in chemistry, you are well prepared to assume professional positions in industry, education, or public service. Therefore, choose your major wisely.
The table of contents will give you an overview of what you should expect in this article.
Table of contents
Why Choose a Career in Chemistry
There are many significant reasons to study chemistry, even if you aren’t pursuing a career in science. Some of the reason include but are not limited to the following:
- Chemistry helps you understand the world around you: How leaves change color in autumn, why plants are green, and many others. Chemistry is solidly behind all these transformations.
- Basic knowledge of chemistry will help you read and understand product labels.
- Chemistry can help you make informed decisions: Understanding how chemistry works allow you to separate reasonable expectations from pure fiction.
- Chemistry is at the kitchen’s heart: Understanding the chemical reactions in rising baked foods or neutralizing acid makes you a better cook.
- A mastery of chemistry can help you be safe: Knowing which household chemicals are dangerous to keep together or mix and which are safe to use.
- Chemistry teaches valuable skills: As it is a science, learning chemistry means learning to be objective and to discuss and solve problems.
- It helps you understand current events, including news about oil, product recalls, pollution, the environment, and technological advancements.
- Chemistry explains how things work: It makes life’s little secrets less mysterious.
- Chemistry opens up career opportunities: There are many careers in chemistry, but even if you are looking for a job in a different field, the analytical skills you acquired in chemistry will come in handy.
- There are many exciting chemistry projects that you can do with everyday materials: Chemical projects are not just booming. It can glow in the dark, change colors, create bubbles, and change states.
- Life is incomplete without chemistry.
Steps to Pursuing a Career in Chemistry
Obtain a Bachelor’s Degree
The first step to starting any chemistry career is obtaining a bachelor’s degree, which is the basis for an entry-level career.
A bachelor’s degree usually takes four years to complete and provides a solid and broad background of information and training in the physical science discipline.
Earn a Master’s Degree
A Master’s degree in chemistry leads to careers in research and science in disciplines such as chemical engineering, pharmaceutics, or the public sector. Some of the highest-paid career prospects are analytical chemists, engineers, healthcare scientists, toxicologists, or research scientists.
Pursuing a master’s degree in chemistry will help prepare you for leadership and management roles.
Gain Work Experience
Work experience is the pre-requisites for advanced, and doctorate as chemistry doctoral programs like to see applicants with prior relevant work experience.
Also, acquiring the necessary work experience improves the learning outcomes, as students will have the experience and knowledge to put their learning into perspective.
Pursue a Doctorate Degree
Doctoral degrees are more academic and can benefit individuals with leadership characteristics.
Advanced methods will be regularly utilized during a doctoral program to prepare students for analyzing and conducting high-level research.
Common classes for doctoral students can cover a wide variety of theoretical, experimental, and applied topics.
Best Chemistry Schools
To get the best career in chemistry, you must attend a good school that offers quality chemistry programs.
Below is a list of well-accreditated institutions that offer the best chemistry programs and their corresponding subject scores. We selected these institutions based on the USNews and World’s rankings.
| Schools | Subject Score |
| University of California-Berkeley | 100.0 |
| Nanyang Technological University | 96.9 |
| Northwestern University | 95.0 |
| Tsinghua University | 94.4 |
| King Abdulaziz University | 93.2 |
| University of Science and Technology of China | 92.6 |
| École Polytechnique Federale of Lausanne | 92.3 |
| National University of Singapore | 92.3 |
| King Abdullah University of Science & Technology | 88.6 |
| Peking University | 88.1 |
Highest Paying Chemistry Jobs
There are many chemistry-related courses you could take, so ensure you research courses thoroughly and understand the length and content of each option available to you.
The significant areas of chemistry are identifying main occupations and relevant specializations and providing employment and salary data.
Below is a list of the top marketable careers in chemistry:
- #1. Nanotechnologist
- #2.Chemical Engineering
- #3.Water Chemist
- #4. Toxicology
- #5.Hazardous Material Management Chemist
- #6.Geochemist
- #7.Analytical Chemist
- #8.Academic Research chemists
- #9.Pharmacologist
- #10.Forensic Scientist
#1. Nanotechnologist
Nanotechnology is one of the top-rated careers in chemistry. It is the design, production, and application of structures, devices, and systems by manipulating size and shape at the nanometer scale.
Nanotechnologists plan and conduct experiments to investigate and analyze nano-scale systems. They typically work a 37-hour week, although you might have to work overtime to meet deadlines. Their job is mainly lab-based, but they may need to work in other settings depending on the nature of their current project.
Salary: According to Recruiter.com, Nanotechnologists earn an annual salary range from $52,000 to $150,000 with an average of $95,000.
Job Outlook: BLS reported that the employment of nanotechnologists is expected to grow by 23 percent between 2014 and 2024, much faster than the average across industries.
#2. Chemical Engineer
Chemical engineering is a marketable chemistry career that involves designing and developing new products from raw materials.
Professionals in this field apply the principles of chemistry, biology, physics, and math to solve problems involving fuel, drugs, food, and many other products. They may spend time at industrial plants, refineries, and other locations, monitoring or directing operations or solving onsite problems.
Salary
Chemical Engineer worker salary varies according to location, year of experience, and qualifications. They earn a median pay of $108,770 annually, $52.30 per hour.
Job Outlook
BLS postulates that the employment of chemical engineers is projected to grow 4 percent from 2019 to 2029, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
#3. Water Chemist
Water Chemistry is a highly interdisciplinary field linked to microbiology and geology.
The primary responsibility of Water Chemists is to analyze and take care of the maintenance of the quality and condition of water, which is essential for human life on Earth. You may find similar roles under various names, for example, hydrologist or hydrogeologist.
Salary: Water Chemist’s salary range from $14,017 to $372,983, with a median salary of $67,315
Job Outlook: 7% project
#4. Toxicologist
Toxicologists study the effects of drugs on biological systems but also look at the impact of other substances, both natural and man-made. They work with and develop methodologies, diagnose, and treat exposures to toxins and toxicants. Toxicologists primarily work in the lab, monitoring experiments and interpretation of results.
Salary: According to ziprecruiter.com, Toxicologist salaries currently range between $67,500 (25th percentile) to $95,500 (75th percentile), with top earners (90th percentile) making $111,000 annually across the United States.
Job Outlook: Projected to continue to grow 17% to 2026.
#5. Hazardous Material Management Chemist
Hazardous material management chemists(hazmat) detect and identify hazardous materials. They use their expertise to identify chemical pollutants in the air, water, or soil, evaluate the danger they present, and coordinate their removal and containment.
Their ultimate goal is to eliminate hazards that result in illnesses and injuries related to work and the work environment and their prevention and control.
Salary: Hazardous Material Management Chemist can earn as high as $134,000 annually
Job Outlook: Hazmat has a great employment outlook
#6. Geochemist
Geochemistry is a marketable chemistry career that studies the Earth’s composition, structure, processes, and other physical aspects.
Geochemists use physical and inorganic chemistry to investigate the amount and distribution of chemical elements in rocks and minerals. They typically work with research institutions, consultancy agencies, or oil companies.
Salary: $89,850
Job Outlook: 7%
#7. Analytical Chemist
Analytical chemistry is a significant career in chemistry that pays well in today’s job market. Professionals in this field spend most of their time in laboratories and office environments. They use their skills and expertise to conduct various experiments while handling possibly dangerous chemicals in the lab.
Analytical Chemists analyze substances like drugs and food, identify what components are present and in what quantities, and how these components may behave and react with one another.
Salary
Analytical Chemists earn an average of $71,770 annually. Pay will depend on experience, location in the country, and employer, among other things.
Job Outlook
Analytical Chemists’ employment is projected to grow 5 percent from 2019 to 2029, faster than the average for all occupations.
#8. Academic Research chemists
Academic Research chemists carry out original, high-level research that generates new knowledge and progresses current understanding. They apply their expertise and skills developed through study and research.
Academic researchers are mainly based in universities, a lot are employed as higher education teaching staff who also carry out research.
Salary: $20,519 to $27,358
Job Outlook: Great employment prospect
#9. Pharmacologist
Pharmacology is one of the most popular careers in chemistry. Pharmacologists study the effects of drugs and other chemicals on animals, humans, and plants. They investigate how drugs interact with biological systems.
Pharmacologists’ job is lab-based, and they typically work for non-standard hours in order to monitor ongoing experiments. The majority work full-time.
Salary: $96,070 per year
Job Outlook: 6 percent
#10. Forensic Science
If you possess an analytical mind, and desire to help others, and a drive to succeed, a career in forensic science is a great opportunity to put your strengths to work for you.
Forensic Science involves planning and processes to reduce health risks during emergencies, such as natural disasters, terrorist attacks, disease breakouts, and other situations.
Forensic scientists are professionals in their discipline. Their role is to critically analyze evidence such as body fluids to determine if the DNA in those fluids matches blood found at a crime scene. They may help identify, collect, and evaluate physical evidence at a crime scene.
Unlike other careers in chemistry, forensic scientists work with law enforcement, so you may have to undergo criminal justice or criminology training at your undergraduate level. However, postgraduate studies should focus on a relevant area of forensic science.
Salary: $35,620 to $98,224 annually
Job Outlook: 14 percent from 2019 to 2029
Conclusion
Most of the chemistry jobs listed above require some qualification in chemistry, regardless of whether it is a bachelor’s, master’s, or doctorate. Some roles you can fill with a qualification in a related field, such as Biology, Environmental Science, or Pharmacology.
Many chemistry jobs are done in the laboratory, but not all. Various roles can include fieldwork, office work, or even teaching in a school, university, or other academic settings. Other management functions may include human resource management, liaison with the company, and department and budget management.
FAQs On Marketable Careers In Chemistry
Yes! There are various marketable careers in chemistry, including nanotechnologists, Chemical Engineers, Water chemists, and many others.
Chemistry is the scientific discipline involved with elements and compounds composed of atoms, molecules and ions.
Forensic science is a major in chemistry that focuses on identifying, collecting, and evaluating physical evidence at a crime scene.
Reference
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