Theoretical chemists: Salary, career path, job outlook, education and more
Theoretical chemists investigate theoretical methods that can predict the outcomes of chemical experiments. Theoretical chemistry encompasses a variety of specializations, although most specializations incorporate advanced computation and programming. Some examples of theoretical chemists are computational chemists, mathematical chemists, and chemical informaticians.
Materials scientists tend to specialize by the material they work with most often. A few examples of materials in which these scientists specialize are ceramics, glasses, metals, nanomaterials (extremely small substances), polymers, and semiconductors.
A growing number of chemists work in interdisciplinary fields, such as biochemistry and geochemistry. For more information, see the profiles on biochemists and biophysicists and geoscientists.
Many people with a chemistry background become postsecondary teachers or high school teachers.
- Education Required
- A bachelors degree in chemistry or a related field is needed for entry-level chemist or materials scientist jobs. Research jobs require a masters degree or a Ph.D. and also may require significant levels of work experience. Chemists and materials scientists with a Ph.D. and postdoctoral experience typically lead basic- or applied-research teams. Combined programs, which offer an accelerated bachelors and masters degree in chemistry, also are available.
- Job Outlook
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The projected percent change in employment from 2016 to 2026: 7% (As fast as average)
(The average growth rate for all occupations is 7 percent.) - Advancement
- Chemists typically receive greater responsibility and independence in their work as they gain experience. Greater responsibility also is gained through further education. Ph.D. chemists usually lead research teams and have control over the direction and content of projects, but even Ph.D. holders have room to advance as they gain experience. As chemists become more proficient in managing research projects, they may take on larger, more complicated, and more expensive projects.
- Median pay: How much do Chemists and Materials Scientists make?
- $75,420 Annual Salary
- $36.26 per hour
Careers for Chemists and Materials Scientists
- Agricultural chemists
- Analytical chemists
- Bench chemists
- Chemists
- Food chemists
- Forensic chemists
- Formulary chemists
- Industrial chemists
- Inorganic chemists
- Laboratory chemists
- Materials scientists
- Medicinal chemists
- Metal alloy scientists
- Nuclear chemists
- Organic chemists
- Physical chemists
- Plastics scientists
- Quality control chemists
- Research and development chemists