Chemists
Conduct qualitative and quantitative chemical analyses or experiments in laboratories for quality or process control or to develop new products or knowledge.
Chemists conduct qualitative and quantitative chemical analyses or experiments in laboratories for quality or process control or to develop new products or knowledge. The role reports a median annual salary of $84,150 in the US with the middle 80% earning between $46,760 and $141,850 and is projected to grow 5% over the next decade (about as fast as average). Entry typically requires a Bachelor's degree, and shows moderate AI exposure (0.46 on a 0-1 scale) — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. The most in-demand skills for the role include Critical Thinking, Science, Active Learning, Reading Comprehension, Complex Problem Solving.
Salary distribution (US)
Real salary data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The p10–p90 spread tells you more than the median alone.
Pay in the UK
UK: median £39,983 a year for Chemical scientists (ONS ASHE 2025, full-time)
UK jobs are grouped differently; this is the closest UK occupation group (ONS SOC 2020 2111). ONS rates this estimate acceptable: it rests on a small sample, so treat it as a rough guide. 2025 provisional figures; ONS revises them a year later. Source: ONS Annual Survey of Hours and Earnings (Open Government Licence)
Pay in India (occupation group)
Average monthly earnings of salaried employees in the occupation group “Professionals” in India, from the Government of India's Periodic Labour Force Survey (January–December 2025). It covers everyone in this group, not only Chemists, and it is not US pay converted to rupees.
Source: MoSPI (Government of India), Periodic Labour Force Survey Annual Report 2025, Table 51 — average wage/salary earnings of regular wage/salaried employees, NCO-2015 division 2. Official India data gives one average per occupation group: there are no official India figures for single careers, experience levels or cities. Read the report
How to get here in India
The usual route into this career in India. Each step links to the official page it comes from.
- 1 · Qualification M.Sc in Chemistry, Applied Chemistry or Analytical Chemistry[1]
- 2 · Entrance exam UPSC Combined Geo-Scientist Examination (chemist stream), or Joint CSIR-UGC NET (Chemical Sciences) for research[1][2]
- 3 · First role Chemist in the Geological Survey of India, or Junior Research Fellow[1][2]
Rules change: check the exam body's and regulator's current notice before you apply.
- UPSC — Combined Geo-Scientist Examination 2027, Notice 01/2027-GEOL (read on 2026-09-27)
- Joint CSIR-UGC NET — National Testing Agency (read on 2026-09-27)
Entrance exams on this route — Dates, eligibility and cut-offs for the exams on the way to this career:
Top skills
Knowledge you'll build
- Chemistry
- Mathematics
- English Language
- Computers and Electronics
- Production and Processing
- Biology
- Engineering and Technology
- Education and Training
A day in the life
You start the morning suiting up in a lab coat and safety goggles, calibrating instruments like mass spectrometers and HPLC machines before running a series of experiments. By mid-morning you are synthesizing a new compound, carefully measuring reagents and monitoring reaction temperatures while documenting every step in a lab notebook. Afternoons might be spent analyzing spectra data, meeting with a product team to troubleshoot why a paint formula is not drying correctly, or writing up results for a peer-reviewed journal. The thrill of chemistry is the detective work—figuring out molecular puzzles that have real-world applications in medicine, materials, and food science.
Illustrative: one typical day. Real days vary by employer and seniority.
What you'd actually do
- Develop, improve, or customize products, equipment, formulas, processes, or analytical methods.
- Analyze organic or inorganic compounds to determine chemical or physical properties, composition, structure, relationships, or reactions, using chromatography, spectroscopy, or spectrophotometry techniques.
- Induce changes in composition of substances by introducing heat, light, energy, or chemical catalysts for quantitative or qualitative analysis.
- Conduct quality control tests.
- Write technical papers or reports or prepare standards and specifications for processes, facilities, products, or tests.
- Maintain laboratory instruments to ensure proper working order and troubleshoot malfunctions when needed.
Tools & technology you'd use
Frequently asked questions
What does Chemists do?
Conduct qualitative and quantitative chemical analyses or experiments in laboratories for quality or process control or to develop new products or knowledge.
What does a typical day look like in Chemists?
You start the morning suiting up in a lab coat and safety goggles, calibrating instruments like mass spectrometers and HPLC machines before running a series of experiments. By mid-morning you are synthesizing a new compound, carefully measuring reagents and monitoring reaction temperatures while documenting every step in a lab notebook.
How much does Chemists earn?
The median annual salary for Chemists in the US is $84,150. The middle 80% of workers earn between $46,760 and $141,850 annually. Entry-to-mid-career earners typically fall between $62,340 and $111,000.
What is the job outlook for Chemists?
The role is projected to grow 5% over the next decade (about as fast as average). Current US employment is approximately 86,800 workers.
How do I become a chemists?
The typical entry education is a Bachelor's degree. Building a foundation in the top skills below will strengthen your application.
What skills does Chemists need?
The most in-demand skills for this role include Critical Thinking, Science, Active Learning, Reading Comprehension, Complex Problem Solving, Mathematics. These are the skills O*NET identifies as most important for competent performance.
Will AI replace Chemists?
Our AI-durability model gives Chemists a score of 0.46 on a 0-1 scale (higher = more exposure). That places it at moderate AI exposure — some tasks are being automated but the role adapts. Learning to work with AI tools rather than against them is the path forward.
How hard is it to enter this field?
Chemists has moderate barrier to entry — moderately gated — a bachelor's degree or equivalent training is typically required.