What can you do with a chemistry degree?

If you’re thinking about a degree in chemistry, the odds are that you love conducting experiments, you’re comfortable with a lot of time in the lab, and you can appreciate a challenge. But your future has a lot more to think about than whether you can succeed in a chemistry class. 

While it might seem premature to think about your post-graduate career before you’ve even taken a chemistry course, the truth is that your full career after your academic journey ends is worth planning now. You should definitely think about what you can do with any given major before you settle on one.

So let’s examine what you can do with that chemistry major, including how your course of study will affect your chemistry career prospects, what kind of salary you can expect, and a glimpse at the range of chemistry degree jobs available to a chemistry graduate. 

What Kinds of Chemistry Degrees Are There?

Before we find out what chemistry major jobs are available, let's find out what you learn in chemistry, first. The answer all depends on what subdivision of chemistry you choose to focus on, whether it's environmental chemistry or clinical chemistry.

Every institution and bachelor’s degree program in chemistry will structure things differently and have their specialties, but there are some areas of chemistry that occur most commonly. Ilana Kowarski wrote in U.S. News and World Report, “Experts note multiple branches of chemistry, including:

• Analytical chemistry. According to the American Chemical Society, this field focuses on ‘determining what matter is and how much of it exists’ and often involves using technological equipment.
• Biochemistry. This area of chemistry focuses on chemicals and chemical compounds that affect living organisms, and knowledge within this discipline can be used to address health challenges.
• Inorganic chemistry. This chemistry sub-discipline primarily concentrates on compounds that do not contain carbon, such as metals and most minerals.
• Organic chemistry. This specialization within chemistry focuses on carbon-containing substances.
• Physical chemistry. The ACS defines this area of chemistry as ‘the study of how matter behaves on a molecular and atomic level and how chemical reactions occur.’
• Theoretical chemistry. This type of chemistry involves applying physics and math concepts to make predictions about the behavior and reactions of chemicals.”

There are, of course, many other sub-disciplines in chemistry, some of which are well known like forensic chemistry, while others are not as such. Whether you want to be a forensic chemist, forensic science technician, medicinal chemist, agricultural chemist, or create your own area of chemistry to work in, starting with one of these branches is your best bet to get started.

The different chemistry degrees are similar in many ways, and your preference will likely depend on which has the most interesting subject matter for you. A big commonality between them is the skills you need to be successful in any given chemistry course.

Mathematics is a huge part of chemistry, and you will need to learn unique kinds of math you likely haven’t had much experience with. You need to be committed to the scientific method, willing to pursue theories and back them up with careful experimentation and record-keeping. Being a laboratory enthusiast, comfortable with scientific instruments and chemicals, and spending a lot of time with them, is also key. 

If you want to know even more about what it takes to succeed in chemistry, check out our guide, “Is Chemistry Hard in College?” 

To learn even more about your choices, check out our guide on types of chemistry majors. And if you need help making up your mind between chemistry and biology, we also have a guide on biology vs. chemistry majors.

What jobs can you do with a chemistry degree?

The next piece of the puzzle is connecting your chosen bachelor’s degree with a career that will suit your specialty. Chemistry is a sought-after undergraduate degree, known for the high-level skills it provides and the versatile expertise it gives you as a chemistry job candidate.

Brandt discussed the career types he commonly sees a chemistry graduate go into, saying a chemistry student typically goes onto graduate or professional school, teaching, or being a research chemist.

These are indeed common career paths for chemistry graduates, but you can feel good about casting your net wide when looking for chemistry jobs. Chemistry has numerous applications that contribute to a wide range of careers for an analytical chemist, forensic chemist, or even an environmental chemist or organic chemist in government positions as well as the private sector.

Here are some jobs you can get with an undergraduate degree in chemistry:

• Food technologist
• Management consultant
• Lab technician
• Chemical or geochemical engineer
• Science writer
• Professor
• Materials scientist

Kowarski’s article offered some specific places to look for work in chemistry, including some less conventional industry choices: 

• Chemical companies
• Forensics labs
• Government labs
• High schools
• Instrument manufacturers
• Paint makers
• Petroleum companies
• Pharmaceutical manufacturers
• Plastics manufacturers
• Technical or pharmaceutical sales firms”

Chemistry is a major factor in the production and sale of consumer goods. Chemical compounds are the building blocks of so many of the foods we eat, and chemical processes are what create cleaning and styling products we use every day. So rest assured that this degree is not necessarily a direct route to years working alone as a research chemist or laboratory technician. Those are important roles, but they don't have to be your only choices.

According to Brandt, being open to working in a business capacity is an excellent route to employment and security. He said, “Typically, the businesses or industries that (graduates) go into are with companies that make products to sell. (Chemistry) graduates may go into sales, quality control, (or become a materials scientist and assist in the) development of new materials, or even forensic science type of work. Quality control seems to be the highest need, and we are regularly asked for a recent graduate to apply for positions.”