Research chemist demographics and statistics in the US
Research chemist demographics research summary. Zippia estimates research chemist demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our research 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 research chemists after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 60,124 research chemists currently employed in the United States.
- 31.5% of all research chemists are women, while 68.5% are men.
- The average research chemist age is 41 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of research chemists is White (56.4%), followed by Asian (22.2%), Hispanic or Latino (9.2%) and Black or African American (7.4%).
- In 2022, women earned 98% of what men earned.
- 5% of all research chemists are LGBT.
- Research chemists are 53% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Research chemist demographics by:
Research chemist gender statistics
31.5% of research chemists are women and 68.5% of research chemists are men.
- Male, 68.5%
- Female, 31.5%
Research chemist gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 68.5% |
| Female | 31.5% |
Research chemist gender pay gap
Women earn 98¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$76,187
Female income
$74,290
Research chemist gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in research chemist positions over time. Currently, 31.5% of research chemists are female.
Research chemist gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 66.44% | 33.56% |
| 2011 | 68.05% | 31.95% |
| 2012 | 70.23% | 29.77% |
| 2013 | 68.89% | 31.11% |
| 2014 | 70.40% | 29.60% |
| 2015 | 68.83% | 31.17% |
| 2016 | 72.17% | 27.83% |
| 2017 | 67.43% | 32.57% |
| 2018 | 69.87% | 30.13% |
| 2019 | 64.91% | 35.09% |
| 2020 | 73.05% | 26.95% |
| 2021 | 68.52% | 31.48% |
Research chemist related jobs gender ratio
We compared research 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% |
| Research Chemist | 69% | 31% |
| Remote Sensing Engineer | 91% | 9% |
| Optical Scientist | 91% | 9% |
| Seismologist | 94% | 6% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Research chemist demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among research chemists is White, which makes up 56.4% of all research chemists. Comparatively, 22.2% of research chemists are Asian and 9.2% of research chemists are Hispanic or Latino.
- White, 56.4%
- Asian, 22.2%
- Hispanic or Latino, 9.2%
- Black or African American, 7.4%
- Unknown, 4.5%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3%
Research chemist race
| Research chemist race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 56.4% |
| Asian | 22.2% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 9.2% |
| Black or African American | 7.4% |
| Unknown | 4.5% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.3% |
Research chemist race and ethnicity over time
See how research chemist racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Research chemist race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 63.51% | 7.68% | 22.03% | 5.11% |
| 2011 | 62.51% | 7.24% | 22.09% | 6.22% |
| 2012 | 63.27% | 7.83% | 20.29% | 5.64% |
| 2013 | 61.55% | 7.92% | 20.61% | 6.70% |
| 2014 | 63.55% | 8.64% | 19.84% | 5.15% |
| 2015 | 61.16% | 8.20% | 21.84% | 6.89% |
| 2016 | 62.96% | 8.17% | 19.93% | 6.75% |
| 2017 | 63.74% | 7.94% | 19.52% | 6.51% |
| 2018 | 61.63% | 6.55% | 21.42% | 7.68% |
| 2019 | 62.76% | 7.29% | 20.74% | 6.98% |
| 2020 | 59.57% | 7.10% | 19.84% | 8.13% |
| 2021 | 56.38% | 7.44% | 22.21% | 9.20% |
Research chemist wage gap by race
According to our data, white research chemists have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Hispanic or latino research chemists have the lowest average salary at $74,737.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $77,113 |
| White | $77,242 |
| Black or African American | $75,091 |
| Asian | $76,788 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $74,737 |
Average research chemist age
See how the average age of research chemists varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Research 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 |
Research chemist age breakdown
The average age of research chemists is 40+ years years old, representing 52% of the research chemist population.
Research chemist age breakdown
| Research Chemist Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 52% |
| 30-40 years | 31% |
| 20-30 years | 17% |
Research chemist educational attainment
The most common degree for research chemists is bachelor's degree, with 71% of research chemists earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 15% and master's degree degree at 11%.
- Bachelor's, 71%
- Master's, 15%
- Doctorate, 11%
- Associate, 3%
- Other Degrees, 0%
Research chemists by degree level
| Research chemist degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 71% |
| Master's | 15% |
| Doctorate | 11% |
| Associate | 3% |
| Other Degrees | 0% |
Research chemist jobs you might like
Research chemist wage gap by degree level
According to the data, research chemists with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $94,067 annually. With a Master's degree, research chemists earn a median annual income of $79,764 compared to $68,984 for research chemists with an Bachelor's degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $79,764 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $68,984 |
| Doctorate Degree | $94,067 |
Research chemist employment statistics
Most research chemists work for a private in the manufacturing industry.
Company size where research chemists work
Below, you can see the size of companies where research chemists work.
Research chemist jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 4% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 12% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 23% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 5% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 31% |
| > 10,000 employees | 25% |
Research chemist jobs by company type
Employees with the research chemist job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most research chemists prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Research chemist jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 11% |
| Public | 32% |
| Private | 53% |
| Government | 4% |
Research chemist jobs by industry
The most common industries for research chemists are manufacturing, education and pharmaceutical.
Research chemist industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 29% |
| Fortune 500 | 11% |
| Education | 10% |
| Pharmaceutical | 9% |
| Professional | 7% |
| Technology | 6% |
| Health Care | 5% |
| Energy | 5% |
| Government | 3% |
| Finance | 2% |
| Automotive | 2% |
| Utilities | 2% |
| Construction | 2% |
| Retail | 2% |
| Start-up | 2% |
| Media | 1% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Hospitality | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
Research chemist turnover and employment statistics
Research chemist unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for research chemists between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Research chemist unemployment rate by year
| Year | Research 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 research chemist tenure
The average research chemist stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 2,248 research chemists resumes in Zippia's database.
Research chemist tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 14% |
| 1-2 years | 36% |
| 3-4 years | 18% |
| 5-7 years | 16% |
| 8-10 years | 6% |
| 11+ years | 10% |
Research chemist LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of research 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Project Geophysicist | 4.45% | 6,289 |
| Research Chemist | 5.26% | - |
| Physical Scientist | 8.32% | 96,588 |
| Environmental Analyst | 15.61% | 17,018 |
Similar research chemist jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Project Geophysicist | 4.45% | 6,289 |
| Physical Scientist | 8.32% | 96,588 |
| Environmental Analyst | 15.61% | 17,018 |
Foreign languages spoken by research chemists
The most common foreign language among research chemists is Spanish at 24.4%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is Chinese at 12.8% and Japanese is the third-most popular at 10.5%.
- Spanish, 24.4%
- Chinese, 12.8%
- Japanese, 10.5%
- French, 9.3%
- Russian, 8.1%
- Other, 34.9%
Research chemist languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 24.4% |
| Chinese | 12.8% |
| Japanese | 10.5% |
| French | 9.3% |
| Russian | 8.1% |
| Other | 34.9% |
