Chemist demographics and statistics in the US
Chemist demographics research summary. Zippia estimates chemist demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our chemist estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about chemists after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 83,461 chemists currently employed in the United States.
- 40.4% of all chemists are women, while 59.6% are men.
- The average chemist age is 41 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of chemists is White (59.8%), followed by Asian (18.2%), Hispanic or Latino (9.4%) and Black or African American (7.8%).
- Chemists are most in-demand in Ann Arbor, MI.
- The manufacturing industry is the highest-paying for chemists.
- 5% of all chemists are LGBT.
On this page
Chemist demographics by:
Chemist gender statistics
40.4% of chemists are women and 59.6% of chemists are men.
- Male, 59.6%
- Female, 40.4%
Chemist gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 59.6% |
| Female | 40.4% |
Chemist gender pay gap
Women earn 98¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$65,232
Female income
$63,737
Chemist gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in chemist positions over time. Currently, 40.4% of chemists are female.
Chemist gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 57.28% | 42.72% |
| 2011 | 59.06% | 40.94% |
| 2012 | 61.50% | 38.50% |
| 2013 | 59.99% | 40.01% |
| 2014 | 61.70% | 38.30% |
| 2015 | 59.93% | 40.07% |
| 2016 | 63.72% | 36.28% |
| 2017 | 58.37% | 41.63% |
| 2018 | 61.10% | 38.90% |
| 2019 | 55.61% | 44.39% |
| 2020 | 64.74% | 35.26% |
| 2021 | 59.59% | 40.41% |
Chemist related jobs gender ratio
We compared chemists with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, seismologist and optical scientist have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Aerologist | 11% | 89% |
| Senior Advocate | 33% | 67% |
| Chemist | 60% | 40% |
| Remote Sensing Engineer | 91% | 9% |
| Optical Scientist | 91% | 9% |
| Seismologist | 94% | 6% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Chemist demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among chemists is White, which makes up 59.8% of all chemists. Comparatively, 18.2% of chemists are Asian and 9.4% of chemists are Hispanic or Latino.
- White, 59.8%
- Asian, 18.2%
- Hispanic or Latino, 9.4%
- Black or African American, 7.8%
- Unknown, 4.6%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2%
Chemist race
| Chemist race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 59.8% |
| Asian | 18.2% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 9.4% |
| Black or African American | 7.8% |
| Unknown | 4.6% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.2% |
Chemist race and ethnicity over time
See how chemist racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Chemist race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 66.90% | 8.06% | 18.04% | 5.27% |
| 2011 | 65.90% | 7.61% | 18.10% | 6.38% |
| 2012 | 66.67% | 8.21% | 16.30% | 5.81% |
| 2013 | 64.94% | 8.30% | 16.62% | 6.87% |
| 2014 | 66.94% | 9.01% | 15.85% | 5.32% |
| 2015 | 64.55% | 8.57% | 17.86% | 7.05% |
| 2016 | 66.35% | 8.55% | 15.94% | 6.92% |
| 2017 | 67.13% | 8.31% | 15.54% | 6.68% |
| 2018 | 65.02% | 6.92% | 17.44% | 7.85% |
| 2019 | 66.15% | 7.67% | 16.75% | 7.14% |
| 2020 | 62.96% | 7.48% | 15.85% | 8.29% |
| 2021 | 59.77% | 7.81% | 18.22% | 9.37% |
Chemist wage gap by race
According to our data, white chemists have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Hispanic or latino chemists have the lowest average salary at $64,089.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $65,961 |
| White | $66,062 |
| Black or African American | $64,369 |
| Asian | $65,705 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $64,089 |
Average chemist age
See how the average age of chemists varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Chemist age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Unknown | 37 | 35 |
| White | 39 | 39 |
| Black or African American | 41 | 43 |
| Asian | 45 | 48 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 39.5 | 40 |
Chemist age breakdown
The average age of chemists is 40+ years years old, representing 52% of the chemist population.
Chemist age breakdown
| Chemist Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 52% |
| 30-40 years | 31% |
| 20-30 years | 17% |
Chemist educational attainment
The most common degree for chemists is bachelor's degree, with 80% of chemists earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 11% and master's degree degree at 5%.
- Bachelor's, 80%
- Master's, 11%
- Associate, 5%
- Doctorate, 3%
- Other Degrees, 1%
Chemists by degree level
| Chemist degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 80% |
| Master's | 11% |
| Associate | 5% |
| Doctorate | 3% |
| Other Degrees | 1% |
Chemist jobs you might like
Chemist wage gap by degree level
According to the data, chemists with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $79,190 annually. With a Master's degree, chemists earn a median annual income of $68,044 compared to $59,537 for chemists with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $68,044 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $59,537 |
| Doctorate Degree | $79,190 |
Chemist employment statistics
Most chemists work for a private in the manufacturing industry.
Company size where chemists work
Below, you can see the size of companies where chemists work.
Chemist jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 4% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 11% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 21% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 7% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 26% |
| > 10,000 employees | 31% |
Chemist jobs by company type
Employees with the chemist job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most chemists prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Chemist jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 3% |
| Public | 38% |
| Private | 53% |
| Government | 7% |
Chemist jobs by industry
The most common industries for chemists are manufacturing, pharmaceutical and technology.
Chemist industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 22% |
| Pharmaceutical | 19% |
| Fortune 500 | 13% |
| Health Care | 7% |
| Professional | 7% |
| Technology | 7% |
| Government | 6% |
| Energy | 4% |
| Retail | 3% |
| Finance | 2% |
| Construction | 2% |
| Education | 2% |
| Media | 1% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Start-up | 1% |
Chemist turnover and employment statistics
Chemist unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for chemists between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Chemist unemployment rate by year
| Year | Chemist unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 4.99% |
| 2011 | 3.72% |
| 2012 | 4.14% |
| 2013 | 4.11% |
| 2014 | 2.44% |
| 2015 | 2.28% |
| 2016 | 2.22% |
| 2017 | 1.77% |
| 2018 | 1.41% |
| 2019 | 2.24% |
| 2020 | 2.63% |
| 2021 | 2.63% |
Average chemist tenure
The average chemist stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 15,627 chemists resumes in Zippia's database.
Chemist tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 20% |
| 1-2 years | 36% |
| 3-4 years | 15% |
| 5-7 years | 15% |
| 8-10 years | 6% |
| 11+ years | 9% |
Chemist LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of chemists that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Consulting Petroleum Geologist | 4.45% | 6,123 |
| Chemist | 5.26% | - |
| Physical Scientist | 8.32% | 96,588 |
| Research Environmental Scientist | 15.61% | 96,374 |
Similar chemist jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Consulting Petroleum Geologist | 4.45% | 6,123 |
| Physical Scientist | 8.32% | 96,588 |
| Research Environmental Scientist | 15.61% | 96,374 |
Foreign languages spoken by chemists
The most common foreign language among chemists is Spanish at 47.2%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 8.3% and Chinese is the third-most popular at 5.2%.
- Spanish, 47.2%
- French, 8.3%
- Chinese, 5.2%
- German, 4.7%
- Mandarin, 4.7%
- Other, 29.9%
Chemist languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 47.2% |
| French | 8.3% |
| Chinese | 5.2% |
| German | 4.7% |
| Mandarin | 4.7% |
| Other | 29.9% |
