What Can You Do with a Chemistry Degree?
Whether your favorite gift as a kid was a chemistry set or your hero is Bill Nye the Science Guy, maybe you’ve wondered what you can do with a degree in chemistry. Fortunately, your close work with esteemed faculty in the School of Sciences can lead to a variety of careers. You will develop skills and abilities in your area of interest that can be applied to a broad range of occupations in chemistry and biology. A few potential areas where you might find yourself after graduation include:
- Food and nutrition
- Mineralogy
- Polymers
- Biochemicals
- Chemical engineering
- Nanotechnology
- Nuclear power
- Pharmaceuticals
- Forensic analysis
- Toxicology
- Petroleum analysis
Another probable destination for graduates of the chemistry program is graduate and professional schools, like medical, dental, optometry, pharmacy school and more. If you are interested in education, combining a chemistry/biology background with the appropriate education courses will position you well to teach either of these subjects in high school.
Chemistry opens the door to a variety of careers. If you go on to become a chemist – perhaps the most obvious career path – the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts a 7 percent job growth through 2026 and an average annual salary of $76,280.
It’s important to remember that employers are looking for more than just a solid GPA and your chemistry degree in hand. They want to see that you have tangible experience as well! You can pack your resume full of exciting things that will pop out to your future employer through involvement in extracurricular activities, research projects with faculty, and part-time work experience. It’s never too early to start thinking about your future career, whether your next step is graduate school or the workforce.