Jobs for the Major
How this major affects a job search
Want to work with cars? Ever dreamed of becoming a doctor? Well, chemistry can lead you to a job in either of these arenas, and many more. Nobody wants to produce paint that has harmful chemicals in it. (At least not anymore…we hope.)
And who do you think is figuring that stuff out? Biologists? Nope. Chemists all the way, baby. What we're saying is: You have options.
Unfortunately, chemists often head back to some type of school after an undergraduate degree, so if you're not big on the whole "lifetime education" thing, then this major might not be for you.
Agriculture is a huge industry for chemists, especially since environmentalists frequently ask for new legislation to help protect the environment. Agrochemistry (sounds aggressive, but it really isn't), environmental law, geochemistry, and perfume chemistry are a handful of career avenues you could pursue that you probably hadn't considered before.
Can you imagine going to Thanksgiving dinner and showing up your snooty older brother by mentioning that your title is "perfume chemist?" The look on his face would be priceless. Whether it would be shock, jealousy, or disinterest, we're not sure
Common Career Fields
FDA Inspector: Oh yeah, working with food. The Food and Drug Administration needs good chemists to make sure companies aren't selling vitamins marked "Vitamin C" when they're actually poisonous pills of death. Sure, there's a lot of responsibility that comes with this job, but you would literally be saving lives. So if your kids ask if you're a superhero, you wouldn't have to lie to them. You totally would be.
Food and Flavor Chemist: Okay, maybe it's about lunchtime and our minds are on food right now, but there's no denying that being called a "flavor chemist" would be pretty awesome. (Even though it sounds like a bad rapper name.) Why do jalapeños and cake taste different from each other? We have no idea, but flavor chemists do. Also, tasting food experiments seems like a good way to spend a day. Just add TV, and you have a perfect afternoon.
Forensic Scientist: Admit it, you've watched CSI and thought "Man, it would be pretty sweet to be at that crime scene, science-ing it up." Even in real life, this is a pretty excellent gig. You get to put the bad guys away and get paid to play with fun chemicals. Throw in a pair of sweet sunglasses to help you deliver crazy news, and you've got a fun occupation on your hands.
Medical Doctor: This is one of those above-and-beyond careers. You've really got to want it, but if you do, chemistry can lead you there. Think about it—the human body's got more than a few chemicals in it, right? What if you mess with the balance of those chemicals? For example, what if you take one too many aspirins by mistake? These are the sorts of issues trained chemists know how to solve.
Pharmacist: This career has the benefit of being really fun to explain at parties. When asked what you do, you can respond with, "I dish out the meds people need to survive. Yeah, I'm the reason you're probably still holding on." If you use that line, though, shoot us some credit. (Don't forget the little guys like Shmoop when you're famous.)
Science Writer: Okay, let's be honest, science can be a tough subject for some people. So when those people are reading a newspaper article about a shuttle launch, they need a great writer to break it all down for them. Here's where the science writer comes in. After all, somebody has to explain why NASA uses rocket fuel instead of gas. Being able to put the tricky stuff into layman's terms isn't easy if you don't have the science background.
Water Quality: In this field, you will be in charge of making sure different types of water are up to appropriate standards. That means parents will be depending on you to keep their lakes safe for their kids to swim in, so don't let them down. If you're not into lakes, you might be working with drinking water. Somebody's got to make sure Ozarka stays on their A-game, and that could be your job. Outside of these options, large rivers are another important area that water quality folks are concerned with.
Is the ecosystem suffering because of sewage runoff into your river? Yeah, you could be the one who determines the ins and outs of that ecosystem. (See, chemistry really can lead you into just about any field.)
Current unemployment of the major
4.7%Percentage of majors who get a higher degree after college
60%Stats obtained from this source.