Chemistry
Physical Sciences
Median earnings by degree level
| Degree | Median earnings | Typical range | Schools | Clear the bar |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's Degree | $63,882 | $54,966 to $71,445 | 233 | 95% |
| Master's Degree | $94,946 | $82,181 to $101,028 | 10 | 100% |
| Doctoral Degree | $115,831 | $107,618 to $125,069 | 41 | 100% |
"Clear the bar" is the share of programs whose graduates out-earn a typical high-school graduate (the federal earnings-premium test). Typical range is the 25th to 75th percentile of program medians.
Job outlook
Projected employment growth +6% (2025 to 2035), about 162,700 openings a year across the occupations this field commonly leads to.
| Occupation | Median pay | Growth | Openings/yr |
|---|---|---|---|
| Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | $72,040 | -0.2% | 63,500 |
| Computer Occupations, All Other | $116,580 | +5.1% | 27,000 |
| Data Scientists | $120,230 | +34.6% | 24,800 |
| Natural Sciences Managers | $167,220 | +8.2% | 9,200 |
| Chemical Technicians | $60,390 | +4.9% | 7,600 |
| Environmental Scientists and Specialists, Including Health | $82,220 | +6.1% | 7,300 |
Occupation pay and outlook: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (OEWS wages, Employment Projections). A field maps to several occupations, and the same occupations serve many majors, so these are the jobs this major commonly leads to, not positions reserved for its graduates; the openings should not be added up across majors.
Where this is studied
The 8 colleges where the most students complete a chemistry program, of 1,205 that report one. Ordered by number of completions only: this is where people study it, not a judgement about where to.
- University of California-San Diego
- University of Wisconsin-Madison
- University of Florida
- University of California-Berkeley
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- University of California-Irvine
- University of Chicago
- University of California-Los Angeles
Earnings source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard (release 2026-06-10), median earnings of graduates measured up to four years after completing. Figures describe past graduates and are never a promise. Method: methodology. Report an error.