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What is the pay for a career in chemistry?

I'm in sixth grade and Iv'e wanted to do chemistry since third grade. I was asking this because I was thinking about becoming a chemist for my career. I was very interested in this major and I wanted to have a job that paid at least semi well. If someone could please answer my question, that would be great. Thank you! #doctor #chemist

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Daniela’s Answer

Hi Joseph,




  • Graduates with a bachelor's degree in chemistry will find themselves qualified for entry-level positions as clinical laboratory technologists, chemists, or materials scientists. These jobs share similarities in that all of them involve working with complex chemical experimentation and require a large amount of laboratory work. Students willing to receive further training and specialize may qualify for supervisory or management positions.




  • A bachelor's degree is usually considered sufficient for entry-level positions in these fields, although some employees may require a graduate degree. Chemists and materials scientists share many similarities; both make careers out of understanding chemical compositions and how chemicals may be used to improve our lives. Many different products, including synthetic materials such as nylon, paint, and adhesives, are the result of the research and development conducted by chemists and material scientists. Much like clinical laboratory technologists, chemists and materials scientists spend most of their time working in laboratories.




  • Chemist
    Chemists generally focus on a specific branch of chemistry such as analytical, theoretical, organic or physical chemistry. According to the BLS, the mean yearly salary for chemists in 2013 was $77,740. Between 2012 and 2022, the BLS predicts that opportunities for chemists will increase at a slower-than-average rate of six percent.




More in: http://study.com/articles/Jobs_and_Salary_Info_for_a_Bachelors_in_Chemistry_Degree.html


Best Regards!!
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Robert’s Answer

Chemists' earnings vary WIDELY, depending on the subfield and sector they are in and their level of training. A starting analytical chemist working in a "bulk shop" with a bachelor's degree will earn about $50k per year, but the jobs are generally relatively easy to come by, easy to keep, and not very stressful. A chemist in a more specialized field (like semiconductor manufacturing), more experience, or with a higher degree (like a masters in polymer chemistry) will earn more, easily into the $100k/year range...but the jobs become more stressful, harder to find, and more competitive. However, chemists will rarely earn as much as medical doctors...that said, they are generally happier, and less stressed in their jobs, particularly when only comparing people "working for the money" (as opposed to those with a "passion for their work"). They also spend less time and money on their schooling, so they can start earning earlier in life, which counts for a lot if you are smart about money.

I have a doctorate in chemistry and write chemistry textbooks. How much I earn varies from year to year, depending on how much I write and how successful (popular) my books are. I also do scientific instrument repair, and here too how much I earn depends on how much work I take on and whether I am working for myself or someone else (working for myself pays far more, but requires I do things I don't enjoy, like billing, accounting, filing complicated taxes, and advertising.)

Robert recommends the following next steps:

See also https://www.indeed.com/career/chemist/salaries and similar salary reporting sites, but appreciate that "chemist" by itself is strongly weighted toward bench analytical chemists, who make up the bulk of chemistry positions numerically and are paid on the lower end of the "chemist" payscale.
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