Chemist education requirements

Q: What job can you get with a chemistry degree?

You can get many jobs with a chemistry degree, such as chemistry teacher, chemical engineer, or organic chemist. While all of these career paths require a strong background in chemistry, they all require different things that could interest different people and personalities. Chemistry Teacher If you are passionate about chemistry as well as teaching, becoming a chemistry teacher is a great fit. Chemistry teachers will often hold degrees or certifications in teaching as well as chemistry. It is important to know what the qualifications to become a teacher are in your state, as it varies. Teachers will work with students to excite them about the possibilities and basics of chemistry. Organic Chemist An organic chemist is a specific type of chemist that will focus on materials that contain carbon. They are scientists who research, study, and conduct experiments. They often work in laboratories with other chemists. Along with an undergraduate degree in chemistry, most organic chemists will hold doctorate degrees in Chemistry, often with an emphasis in Organic Chemistry, or a related field. Chemical Engineers Chemical engineers use applied chemistry as well as mathematics and biology to develop production processes related to chemicals. They can work in many different industries, such as agriculture or oil. Almost one-third of chemical engineers will work in something related to gas and oil.

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a chemist. Chemists usually study chemistry, biology, or biochemistry, biophysics, molecular biology. 80% of chemists hold a bachelor's degree, and 11% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 15,627 real chemist resumes to see exactly what chemist education sections show.

The most common colleges for chemists are the University of California, Santa Barbara and the University of California, Santa Barbara.

There are also many online chemist courses to help get the education required to be a chemist.

There are certain chemist certifications that you should consider. These chemist certifications include Specialist in Chemistry (SC(ASCP)) and Certified Chemical Engineer (CCE).

What education do you need to become a chemist?

What degree do you need to be a chemist?

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%

What should I major in to become a chemist?

You should major in chemistry to become a chemist. 54% of chemists major in chemistry. Other common majors for a chemist include biology and biochemistry, biophysics, molecular biology.

Chemistry, 54%

Biology, 17%

Biochemistry, Biophysics, Molecular Biology, 7%

Chemical Engineering, 4%

Other Majors, 18%

Most common colleges for chemists

Chemists often get their degrees at University of California, Santa Barbara, University of California - Davis, and Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey. Here are the most common colleges for chemists in the US based on their resumes.

Chemist common college	Percentages
University of California, Santa Barbara	10.90%
University of California - Davis	9.84%
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey	5.90%
Purdue University	5.83%
Pennsylvania State University	5.68%

Show more common chemist colleges

Best majors for chemists

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Chemistry	54.0%
2	Biology	17.1%
3	Biochemistry, Biophysics, Molecular Biology	6.7%
4	Chemical Engineering	4.4%
5	Pharmacy	3.0%

Show more common chemist majors

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

20 best online courses for chemists

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Top 10 most affordable universities for chemists

The most affordable schools for chemists are University of Florida, hunter college of the city university of new york, and california state university - bakersfield.

If the best universities for chemists are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for chemists.

1. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

2. Hunter College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,182

Cost of attendance

13,998

3. California State University - Bakersfield

Bakersfield, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,309

Cost of attendance

16,714

4. University of South Florida

Tampa, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,410

Cost of attendance

20,456

5. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

6. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$8,987

Cost of attendance

25,527

7. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

8. California State University - Fresno

Fresno, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,587

Cost of attendance

16,915

9. Purdue University

West Lafayette, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$9,992

Cost of attendance

22,430

10. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for chemists

The hardest universities for chemists to get into are Northwestern University, Columbia University in the City of New York, and Carnegie Mellon University.

Some great schools for chemists are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for chemists based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,508

2. Columbia University in the City of New York

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,512

3. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,507

4. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,497

5. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

6. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,520

7. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

8. Johns Hopkins University

Baltimore, MD • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,513

9. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

10. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

Milwaukee, WI • Private

Admissions rate

71%

SAT average

1,035

6. Our Lady of the Lake University

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

1,002

7. Mount Saint Mary's University

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,031

8. Wayland Baptist University

Plainview, TX • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

1,003

9. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

10. Fresno Pacific University

Fresno, CA • Private

Admissions rate

85%

SAT average

1,053

Average chemist salary by education level

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.

Chemist education level	Chemist salary
Master's Degree	$68,044
Bachelor's Degree	$59,537
Doctorate Degree	$79,190

Chemist education FAQs

What job can you get with a chemistry degree?

What is the best college for Chemists?

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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