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Now having got a chemistry degree, you may wish to get an entry-level job to kick start your career. Although starting salaries in the chemical industry tend to be low, there is always a potential that more senior chemists will earn a substantial salary. Here are the Highest Paying Chemistry Jobs/Careers to choose from.
Pharmacologist
Estimated Annual Salary: $101,000
Pharmacologists develop novel pharmaceuticals for corporations. They study chemicals’ impact on the circulatory, reproductive, and lymphatic systems. Pharmacologists can interact with patients in clinical settings and evaluate new medication effects. They can also create and test novel drugs in an experimental lab.
Research Scientist
Estimated Annual Salary: $95,000
Research Scientists often spend their days in laboratories, where they put hypotheses to the test and try to acquire novel scientific understanding. As a member of the academic research community, you will put your skills and expertise to work. You will do research in your area of specialisation and write reports, books, or chapters of books to submit to respected periodicals for evaluation by your peers.
Toxicologist
Estimated Annual Salary: $92,000
Toxicologists are experts who study how chemicals affect organisms in all forms, from microbes to humans. Toxicologists investigate a variety of environmental issues, such as the number of hazardous substances present in a variety of goods or water sources.
Material Scientist
Estimated Annual Salary: $90,000
These are scientists that specialise in materials and research the composition, structure, and behaviour of all kinds of man-made substances. In order to develop new goods or enhance the performance of current ones, they integrate their understanding of chemistry with that of engineering or physics to find ways to enhance these materials.
Medical Scientist
Estimated Annual Salary: $89,000
A practitioner who investigates illnesses, including their root causes and potential cures, is known as a medical scientist.They research illnesses, including how individuals become infected, how diseases progress, and how they have an effect on the human body, to find remedies that mitigate the negative effects of the disease.
Organic Chemist
Estimated Annual Salary: $83,000
Organic chemists study the composition and structure of organic compounds. Researchers in organic chemistry study molecular properties to learn how to synthesise them and how they might be enhanced. Professionals in this field may employ spectrometers and other forms of analytical gear to determine the properties of compounds.
Analytical Chemist
Estimated Annual Salary: $82,000
Scientists that specialise in analytical chemistry investigate different substances to determine their chemical composition. They make use of sophisticated equipment to identify and quantify the presence of a variety of components inside a single sample.
Chemical Engineer
Estimated Annual Salary: $80,000
Chemical engineers seek new and improved methods through which raw materials can be processed into finished products. They are also responsible for ensuring that all local, state and federal laws are followed in regard to the storage, transport, and handling of chemicals.
Chemical engineers use their knowledge of chemistry and engineering to develop and build chemical processing plants. They work on a variety of projects, from developing new fuels to improving the efficiency of chemical processes in the industry. Their work is crucial to maintaining regular economic activity in many areas.
Biochemist
Estimated Annual Salary: $78,000
A practitioner who investigates the chemical processes that occur within living things is known as a biochemist. Their studies incorporate both chemical and biological ideas, and they concentrate on the formation and development of cells, as well as hereditary conditions and diseases.
The majority of biochemists are academics, which means that they work with or for academic institutions such as universities and academic institutes that provide funding for their research.
Material Scientist
Estimated Annual Salary: $73,000
Glass, rubber, ceramic, polymers, and metals are just some of the man-made substances that a materials scientist may investigate. Materials scientists may find work in related fields. Scientists that specialise in materials look into methods to improve the durability of various substances so that they might be put to novel uses.
They also develop new materials by adjusting the chemical composition of existing ones. They manufacture safe components after extensive testing. As a further step, materials scientists write up and distribute their results.
Chemistry Teacher
Estimated Annual Salary: $63,000
If you are looking for what you can do with a chemistry degree, then this is the most common career. A chemistry teacher’s role is the same whether they work in elementary, middle, or high school: to educate children about chemistry. The frequency of chemistry questions on standardised tests emphasises the need for pupils to have a grounding in the subject’s basics.
Environmental Scientist
Estimated Annual Salary: $62,000
The job of an environmental scientist is to assess the natural world, from the ground up. In addition, they are making efforts to slow the rate of climate change and decrease the negative effects of human activities on the natural world. They are mobile and may do their duties in the field, where they can collect data by conducting experiments and observing natural phenomena.
The work of environmental scientists also takes place in labs, where specialised equipment is used to conduct analyses, design experiments, and gather data. Companies, NGOs, businesses, government agencies, and educational institutions are just a few of the many types of organisations that employ environmental scientists.
Hazardous Material Management Chemists
Estimated Annual Salary: $61,100
Chemists that work in hazardous material management are accountable for ensuring that their organisation complies with all applicable laws, rules, and regulations when it comes to the management of hazardous materials. Hazardous chemists perform their duties of testing, storing in a secure location, and disposing of these items both separately and as part of a larger team in order to safeguard people living in the neighbourhood.
Forensic Chemist
Estimated Annual Salary: $61,000
Forensic chemists work in the realm of law enforcement to analyse evidence gathered at crime sites. As a rule, they start with the inorganic evidence to determine whether it can be linked to a known chemical. For instance, the forensics team may examine the soil and any liquids found at a murder scene for clues.
The majority of the time, these professionals are not present at the site of the crime itself but rather are stationed in labs to conduct tests on samples gathered by other law enforcement officials. Forensic chemists follow strict standards to ensure the accuracy of the samples they use. As a result of the urgency of their work, they must be adept at juggling several tasks and prioritising their efforts.
Quality Control Chemist
Estimated Annual Salary: $60,000
Quality Control Chemists specialise in quality control tests and assess goods to guarantee they meet chemical standards. Chemists who work in quality control examine and test products to guarantee their quality. They may test the pH of a solution to make sure it is within acceptable limits or examine the chemical composition of a product to make sure it is safe.
They also use chemistry to analyse and enhance product quality in response to defects and other issues. Expert chemists in quality control make sure everything you buy is safe and effective.
Related: Quality Control Inspector: How To Become One, Job Description And Salary
Chemical Technician
Estimated Annual Salary: $53,000
Working with chemists in a laboratory, a chemical technician provides support for research and assists with the execution of tests. They are responsible for cleaning the laboratory, preparing the chemicals, setting up the equipment, and compiling the charts and graphs for the final report.
In the laboratory, it is their responsibility to assist the chemists and chemical engineers who are working on various projects. Their tasks in an entry-level position can complement and enrich the learning that takes place in a bachelor’s or master’s degree in chemistry, a branch of chemistry, or chemical engineering, respectively.
Agricultural Scientist
Estimated Annual Salary: $40,000
Agricultural scientists, sometimes called food scientists, work alongside farmers and agribusinesses to investigate crop and livestock cultivation. The scientist first studies how these components behave on a farm or in an agricultural setting, then presents their results and makes recommendations for improving efficiency and safety. They utilise their chemistry skills to analyse agricultural or animal chemicals and crop soil.
Radiation Protection Practitioner
Estimated Annual Salary: $39,000
Practitioners of radiation protection employ scientific methods and technology to detect and monitor radiation, assess hazards, and assure the safety of the workplace, the general public, and the environment. These professionals may be found working in nuclear as well as non-nuclear businesses.
Civil Service Fast Stream
Estimated Annual Salary: $28,000
Civil Service Fast Stream is a fast-track leadership programme that enables talented recent college grads from all walks of life to rise to the highest levels of the Civil Service. The educational and occupational backgrounds of graduates are quite varied. One of the perks of being a Fast Streamer is getting transferred around to different federal entities.
You may broaden your skillset by jumping between different types of work and different types of projects. You might find yourself in a variety of tasks involving direct interaction with the public, as well as those involving the delivery of services to the company’s internal clients and stakeholders.
Colour Technologist
Estimated Annual Salary: $26,000
The production of dyes and pigments for a wide variety of goods provides employment opportunities in many sub-industries within the manufacturing industry. You can be asked to play an analytical part, ensuring that the replication is correct, that the application is uniform, and that the colour is long-lasting.
You will likely act as a liaison between suppliers and end-users if you work in the retail industry. Because job titles might differ, you should also keep an eye out for openings for colour scientists and dyeing technologists.
Conclusion
Acquiring a Chemistry degree is a pathway to success. If you’re interested in making a career transition into a profitable and exciting profession related to chemistry, you can now take advantage of the information you’ve gained about the top 20 highest paying chemistry jobs. No matter what branch of chemistry you wish to go into, the labour market will accommodate you comfortably after graduation.
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