Career Options

Careers for Chemistry Majors

  • Research Scientist
  • Research and Laboratory Technician
  • Educator
  • Environmental, Energy, or Health and Safety Researcher for the Government or Industry
  • Policy Maker for the Government
  • Forensic Scientist
  • Pharmacist and Pharmaceutical Researcher
  • Dentist, Physician, Veterinarian, or other Health Professional
Building a Career in Chemistry After Graduation

A degree in chemistry doesn’t have to mean a lifetime of white coats and test tubes in a laboratory. In fact, there are numerous ways to build a career in chemistry.

Starting Salary 1

The typical starting salary for a chemistry major is $45,860. The typical salary after 10–19 years is $74,210.

Job Titles of People with Chemistry Degrees

  • Director of Biomaterials Laboratory, Massachusetts General Hospital NMR Center
  • Senior Director of Business Development, Dynogen Pharmaceuticals
  • Supervisor of Analytical Chemistry and Radiochemistry, ABB Combustion Engineering Nuclear Operations
  • Research Scientist, D.E. Shaw Research, LLC
  • Senior Scientist in High Throughput Synthesis, PTC Therapeutics
  • Chemist, Xerox Corp.
  • Analytical Chemist, Validation Resources
  • Wine Chemist, Napa Valley
  • Chemical Engineer, Hewlett-Packard
  • Quality Control Chemist, Valvoline Oil
  • Chemist, Intel Corp.

Note: This information is current for the 2023-24 academic year; however, all stated academic information is subject to change. Please refer to the current Academic Catalog for more information.

Footnotes

  1. Salary information is provided for general reference only. APU does not guarantee the accuracy of the figures listed, and cannot predict or promise a specific salary for any graduate. For the most current salary estimates, please visit payscale.com. ↵
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