A chemistry degree can be put to use in a number of careers: chemist, pharmacist, chemical engineer, patent clerk, technical writer, and more.
A chemistry degree can land you any number of careers in the science industry, many of which pay well above the national average.
If you’ve just graduated with a degree in chemistry, you’re probably wondering what to do next. Chemistry jobs aren’t always easy to find, especially without experience. Are there any jobs in chemistry out there? Here are some tips on how to find one.
Careers with a chemistry degree
Are you interested in a career that involves chemistry? If yes, then you have my attention. It’s an extremely interesting field, and I know that you’ll enjoy your time there. Let me tell you more about what I found.
Chemists work in a wide variety of fields, like medicine and engineering. What do those fields have in common? They all have a different field of study, and they all have the same basics: math, writing, and problem-solving skills. Although it is possible to get a bachelor’s degree with just one specialty area (for example, chemistry or environmental studies), it is more common for students to choose a double major in two related concentrations. In other words, you can study both organic chemistry and biochemistry. Alternatively, you also might want to study both biology and biochemistry (botany is another specialty). Once you’ve chosen your specialty areas, you need to decide whether you want to go into research or teaching. Lots of chemists choose some mixture of each throughout the course of their career
Developer, medical representative. With a background in chemistry, you can apply your scientific thinking to developing new drugs or discovering new uses for existing products. Or you can work at a company that develops new chemical processes or machines. Each year, more chemists are hired than mathematics teachers.
If you love the lab, if you ever wanted to be a mad scientist, then a career with a chemistry degree is right up your alley and could very well be the right choice for you. There are many options available to you after earning your bachelor’s or master’s degree that allow you to specialize in different fields within chemistry.
You will be able to enter the job market as a chemist. For those who have higher aspirations, you could go on to pursue graduate education in order to work in chemistry research or as a teacher of high school or even university chemistry classes. The possibilities are nearly endless with a degree in chemistry. With some hard work, it is possible for you to start a career with a chemistry degree immediately after college and even continue on to pursue graduate education.
Should you get all the way to graduation and receive a chemistry degree, you have a number of employment options available to you. You could find work in research, quality assurance or inspection at a manufacturing company, or in environmental, health and safety roles. Government bodies like the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) also offer opportunities for chemists: the EPA’s Office of Research and Development has numerous vacancies open to graduates with chemistry degrees and prior research experience. Although not all of these careers require a chemistry major per se, a general knowledge of science is important in any career choice.
Chemistry majors typically learn a great deal of laboratory procedures and techniques, as well as scientific writing and communication skills. If a chemistry graduate goes on to become an industrial chemist, he or she may need to have supervisory or team leading experience. They will also benefit from computer skills, facility with statistics and fundamental business practices. A chemistry degree will prepare students for a variety of careers within industries such as pharmaceuticals and consumer goods.
To get a sense of how you can make the most money with your degree, take a look at this list of careers that will have a high median salary. You can filter by job category, location and even work environment when browsing through the site. This will let you figure out which chemistry career path is right for you.
A career in chemistry can be extremely rewarding with a high potential for personal enrichment. Chemists have the opportunity to work in a variety of settings, often using their skills to help people, and are well respected for their problem-solving abilities and innovative solutions.
