Chemists

Chemists

Career Overview

Chemists conduct research and analysis in support of industrial operations, product and process development, quality control, environmental control, medical diagnosis and treatment, biotechnology and other applications. Make sure to use the search box to find Wendy's video to learn about the job of a pharmaceutical chemist.

Education

A four-year bachelor’s degree in chemistry, chemical engineering, or a related field is required. A higher degree (master's) in a related field, which may take an additional two-three years to earn, would be more valuable and may be required to obtain positions in many organizations. The more education in this area, the better!

Future Outlook

Employment of chemists is projected to grow 5 percent. In pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing, chemists will be needed to develop nanotechnology for medicinal uses. And in chemical manufacturing, these workers will be needed for improving environmental safety in the workplace and community.

Work Environment

Chemists and materials scientists work in laboratories and offices. They typically work full time and keep regular hours.

Recommended High School Courses

  • Chemistry
  • Biology
  • Math
  • Calculus
  • Physics
  • Technical Writing
  • Chemical Process Safety
  • Science

  • Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
  • Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
  • Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
  • Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • Equipment Maintenance - Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
  • Instructing - Teaching others how to do something.
  • Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
  • Mathematics - Using mathematics to solve problems.
  • Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
  • Operation Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
  • Quality Control Analysis - Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
  • Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • Science - Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
  • Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
  • Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Systems Analysis - Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
  • Systems Evaluation - Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
  • Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
  • Chemistry - Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
  • Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
  • Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
  • Engineering and Technology - Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services.
  • English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
  • Production and Processing - Knowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.
  • Arm-Hand Steadiness - The ability to keep your hand and arm steady while moving your arm or while holding your arm and hand in one position.
  • Category Flexibility - The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
  • Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
  • Far Vision - The ability to see details at a distance.
  • Finger Dexterity - The ability to make precisely coordinated movements of the fingers of one or both hands to grasp, manipulate, or assemble very small objects.
  • Flexibility of Closure - The ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
  • Fluency of Ideas - The ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
  • Inductive Reasoning - The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
  • Information Ordering - The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
  • Mathematical Reasoning - The ability to choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem.
  • Near Vision - The ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Number Facility - The ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide quickly and correctly.
  • Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Originality - The ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
  • Perceptual Speed - The ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.
  • Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
  • Selective Attention - The ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
  • Speech Clarity - The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
  • Speech Recognition - The ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
  • Visual Color Discrimination - The ability to match or detect differences between colors, including shades of color and brightness.
  • Visualization - The ability to imagine how something will look after it is moved around or when its parts are moved or rearranged.
  • Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Written Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
  • Analyze chemical compounds or substances.
  • Test quality of materials or finished products.
  • Maintain laboratory or technical equipment.
  • Prepare compounds or solutions for products or testing.
  • Monitor operational procedures in technical environments to ensure conformance to standards.
  • Establish standards for products, processes, or procedures.
  • Prepare scientific or technical reports or presentations.
  • Collaborate on research activities with scientists or technical specialists.
  • Develop new or advanced products or production methods.
  • Supervise scientific or technical personnel.
  • Manage scientific or technical project resources.
  • Research methods to improve food products.

Schools

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Abilene Christian Univers...
Adams State University
Adelphi University
Agnes Scott College
Albright College
Allegheny College
Alvernia University
American International Co...
American University
Amherst College
Angelo State University
Antioch College
Appalachian State Univers...
Arcadia University
Arizona State University
Arkansas Tech University
Asbury University
Assumption College
Auburn University
Augustana University
Ave Maria University
Azusa Pacific University
Ball State University
Barnard College
Baylor University
Belmont University
Bemidji State University
Bethany College- Lindsbor...
Bethel University
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Biola University
Birmingham Southern Colle...
Bluefield College
Bob Jones University
Boise State University
Boston University
Bowdoin College
Bowling Green State Unive...
Bradley University
Brandeis University
Brescia University
Bryn Mawr College
Cal Poly Pomona
California Institute Of T...
Campellsville University
Carlow University
Carnegie Mellon Universit...
Carroll College
Central New Mexico Commun...
Central Washington Univer...
Christopher Newport Unive...
Claremont Mckenna College
Clark University
Clarkson University
Coastal Carolina Universi...
Colby Community College
Colgate University
College Of New Jersey
College Of St. Benedict A...
College Of The Holy Cross
College Of William And Ma...
Colorado School Of Mines
Columbia University - Ny...
Columbus State Community...
Community College Of Alle...
Concordia University- Tex...
D’youville College
Dartmouth College
Davidson College
Delaware State University
Delaware Technical And Co...
Denison University
Depauw University
Desales University
Diablo Valley College
Dickinson College
Dominican University
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Drew University
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Evangel University
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Fisk University
Florida Agricultural And...
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Florida Institute Of Tech...
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Friends University
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Gettysburg College
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Grove City College
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Hamilton College
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Harvard University
Harvey Mudd College
Haverford College
Hillsdale College
Hobart And William Smith...
Howard University
Illinois Institute Of Tec...
Illinois Wesleyan Univers...
Indiana University-purdue...
Jacksonville State Univer...
Johns Hopkins University
Kalamazoo College
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King University
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Lakeland University
Lasalle University
Lawrence University
Lewis And Clark State Col...
Lewis University
Linfield College
Lock Haven University
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Loyola University - Chica...
Macalester College
Mansfield University Of P...
Marietta College
Marlboro College
Marshall University
Massachusetts Institute O...
Miami University - Oxford...
Millsaps College
Minnesota State Universit...
Minot State University
Misericordia University
Missisippi State Universi...
Montclair State Universit...
Morehouse College
Morningside College
Mount Holyoke College
Mount Mercy University
Murray State University
Navarro College- Corsican...
New College Of Florida
New Mexico Institute Of M...
New York University
North Carolina Central Un...
Northern Illinois Univers...
Northern State University
Northwestern University-...
Norwich University
Notre Dame University Of...
Oberlin College
Occidental College
Ohio Northern University
Ohio Wesleyan University
Oklahoma Christian Univer...
Old Dominion University
Our Lady Of The Lake Univ...
Pennsylvania State Univer...
Pfeiffer University
Pittsburg State Universit...
Portland State University
Princeton University
Queens University- Charlo...
Randolph College
Rensselaer Polytechnic In...
Rice University
Roberts Wesleyan College
Rockefeller University
Rollins College
Rose-hulman Institute Of...
Sacred Heart University
Saint Joseph's College -...
Saint Michael's College
Saint Olaf College
Salisbury University
Salve Regina University
Sam Houston State Univers...
San Diego State Universit...
San Jose State University
Sarah Lawrence College
Scripps Research Institut...
Seton Hall University
Skidmore College
Sonoma State University
South Dakota State Univer...
Southern Adventist Univer...
Southern Arkansas Univers...
Southern University And A...
Southwestern College- Mai...
Southwestern University
Spelman College
St. Bonaventure Universit...
St. John's University- Qu...
St. Lawrence University
St. Mary's College Of Mar...
Stanford University
Stephen F. Austin State U...
Sterling College
Stonehill College
Suny At Geneseo
Suny At Old Westbury
Suny At Potsdam
Suny At Purchase
Suny College Of Environme...
Suny Plattsburgh
Susquehanna University
Swarthmore College
Sweet Briar College
Texas A & M University- C...
Texas A & M University- C...
Texas A & M University- K...
Texas Tech University
The University Of The Sou...
Transylvania University
Trevecca Nazarene Univers...
Trinity College- Hartford...
Trinity University- San A...
Union College- New York
Union University
United States Air Force A...
United States Military Ac...
United States Naval Acade...
University Of Alabama- Tu...
University Of Alaska Anch...
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University Of Mary Washin...
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University Of Minnesota-...
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University Of Mount Olive
University Of North Carol...
University Of North Texas
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University Of Pittsburgh-...
University Of Puget Sound
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University Of Richmond
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University Of Southern Mi...
University Of St. Thomas
University Of Tampa
University Of Texas- Dall...
University Of The Cumberl...
University Of The Incarna...
University Of The Science...
University Of West Alabam...
University Of Wisconsin-...
University Of Wisconsin-...
Ursinus College
Ursuline College
Valley City State Univers...
Virginia Commonwealth Uni...
Wake Forest University
Washington And Lee Univer...
Washington College
Washington University- St...
Wesleyan University
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Western Illinois Universi...
Western Kentucky Universi...
Western Washington Univer...
Wheaton College- Massachu...
Whitman College
Whittier College
Willamette University
William Jewell College
Williams College
Winston-salem State Unive...
Winthrop University
Wittenberg University
Wofford College
Yale University
York College Of Pennsylva...
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Acadia University
Bishop's University
Brock University
Canadian Mennonite Uni...
Cape Breton University
First Nations Universi...
King's University
Kwantlen Polytechnic I...
Mcgill University
Mcmaster University
Memorial University
Mount Allison Universi...
Mount Royal University...
Mount St. Vincent Univ...
Queen's University- Ki...
Redeemer University Co...
Royal Military College...
Thompson Rivers Univer...
Trent University- Pete...
Trinity Western Univer...
Universite De Montreal...
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Université De Saint-bo...
Université Laval
University Of Alberta
University Of Alberta-...
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University Of Quebec-...
University Of Sherbroo...
University Of Toronto-...
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University Of Waterloo
University Of Windsor-...
Western University
Wilfred Laurier Univer...
York University- Keele...

Potential Scholarships

5 Strong Scholarship
Agnes M. Lindsay Scholars...
- Traditional Fulbright P...

Approx Salary Expectation

Currency:
Low End:
$44,460.00 /yr
Avg/Med:
$77,630.00 /yr
High End:
$133,690.00 /yr

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, https://www.bls.gov/ooh/.
Trend Analysis - Explorer the Market, Labour Market Information, Government of Canada https://www.jobbank.gc.ca/trend-analysis.
O*NET OnLine, National Center for O*NET Development, https://www.onetonline.org/.