Careers in Chemistry: Degrees, Salaries, & Everything in Between

Environmental Chemistry

Environmental chemists study the chemical phenomena that take place in nature. Environmental chemistry often draws on analytical chemistry to evaluate how contaminants such as heavy metals are impacting the environment. The tasks of an environmental chemist may include water quality testing, soil quality testing and air quality testing to determine an array of health variables for a particular area. Experience and knowledge regarding chemical reactions and processes is critical for success in the field, and knowing how organisms are impacted by these processes is also important. Environmental chemists often possess college degrees with majors and/or minors in chemistry and environmental science. In addition, courses in biology and biochemistry are helpful for the field. The average salary of an environmental chemist is about $61,000 per year.

Biochemistry

Biochemists study how living organisms and chemical processes relate to one another. The study of lipids, proteins, carbohydrates and ions is often commonplace within biochemistry. A typical biochemist often majors in chemistry or biology in undergraduate school, but some colleges offer specific biochemistry degrees while some students choose to double major in chemistry and biology. Regardless of majors and minors, anyone interested in biochemistry must take a wide variety of biology and chemistry courses in college to gain the knowledge and expertise necessary to succeed in the complex field. Biochemists are often employed by universities, healthcare companies, government agencies and pharmaceutical companies. Biochemists may work on the development of new pharmaceutical drugs and create new mechanisms to study biological processes. Therefore, biochemists must be comfortable working in cross-disciplinary teams and be highly knowledgeable regarding proper lab procedure and safety. The average biochemist salary is about $79,000, and the biochemistry job outlook remains extremely positive. In fact, market analysts predict a 37 percent increase in biochemistry careers between 2008 and 2018.

Physical Chemistry

Physical chemists study the atomic and subatomic processes of chemical systems in relation to the natural laws of physics. Physical chemists often look at concepts such as intermolecular forces, reaction kinetics, thermodynamics and quantum chemistry. A degree in chemistry with additional study in physics and calculus is generally needed to possess the knowledge needed for success in the field. However, many physical chemistry fields require graduate degrees for proper training and preparation. Tasks of physical chemists may include designing molecular models or working with interdisciplinary teams on pharmaceutical drugs. The average physical chemist salary is about $70,000, and the physical chemistry job outlook remains relatively strong as jobs should grow by more than 10 percent over the next decade.

In addition to these chemistry fields, there are also great career options in fields such as chemical engineering, geochemistry and forensic chemistry. Chemical engineers often develop new drugs for pharmaceutical companies using their knowledge of chemistry, math and physics. Meanwhile, geochemists combine concepts from geology and chemistry to study the chemical reactions within the Earth’s processes, and forensic chemists use their understanding of chemical processes and reactions to assist criminal investigations. In essence, there is no poor subdiscipline of chemistry as all chemistry careers possess exceptional growth and salary potentials for dedicated individuals.

Those pursuing careers in chemistry must be focused, motivated and possess great work ethic to gain the education needed for most jobs within the discipline. An online chemistry degree can be a great place to start for those who are unsure of where to begin their study, but the most successful chemists always continue to seek higher education and keep up with the latest research within their specific fields.