What Can I Do with a Chemistry Degree?

Chemistry is the study of matter and energy in the universe - what it's made of, how it behaves, and how it changes during chemical reactions. It looks at atoms and molecules, elements and compounds, reactions, and properties. Chemistry is sometimes called the "central science" because it connects physics, biology, environmental science and even engineering and medicine.

Chemistry is a huge field, but scientists usually break it into five main branches:

Organic Chemistry
Inorganic Chemistry
Analytical Chemistry
Physical Chemistry
Biochemistry

Common Career Paths

Agricultural Chemistry:

Agricultural production: crops and livestock
Agrichemicals development: herbicides, pesticides, fungicides, fertilizers, etc.
Agrichemicals testing
Environmental testing
Regulation

Analytical Chemistry:

Qualitative analysis
Quantitative analysis
Instrumentation design
Experimental design
Separations (mass spectrometry, chromatography)
Spectroscopy
Chemometrics/Statistics

Biochemistry:

Healthcare
Pharmaceuticals
Environment
Agriculture
Food science
Cosmetics
Forensics

Physical Chemistry:

Materials science
Chemical biology
Nanoscale science
Molecular modeling
Quantum computing
Biosensors

Polymer Chemistry:

Synthetic macromolecules
Biological macromolecules
Analysis
Testing
Synthesis
Blending
Compounding
Consumer products

Chemical Engineering:

Bulk chemicals (mass produced large quantities)
Fine chemicals (custom-produced small quantities)
Consumer products
Biotechnology
Pharmaceuticals
Electronics
Environmental safety and health
Fuels and energy conversion
Materials

Geochemistry:

Analysis
Testing
Environmental regulation
Environmental remediation

Inorganic Chemistry:

Analysis
Testing
Synthesis
Environmental remediation
Energy
Information technology
Consumer products

Education:

Teaching
Research

Healthcare:

Medicine
Dentistry
Optometry
Podiatry
Pharmacy
Veterinary medicine
Allied health:
- occupational therapy
- physical therapy
Medical technology
Nuclear medicine

Organic Chemistry:

Synthesis
Healthcare
Pharmaceuticals
Materials science
Consumer products
Biotechnology
Agrichemicals
Food science
Fuels

Materials Science:

Metallurgy
Ceramics
Plastics/Polymers
Composites
Semiconductors and electronic materials
Optical materials
Biomaterials
Nanomaterials
Extraction/Synthesis
Processing

Misc:

Sales
Marketing
Technical writing
Scientific journalism
Scientific illustration
Intellectual property/Patent law
Informational specialists
Product development
Process development
Analysis
Testing
Biotechnology (using living organisms or cell processes to make useful products)
Consulting
Quality assurance/Quality control
Management
Environmental analyses
Forensics

Employers

Government:
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration
- U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
- U.S. Department of Agriculture
- National Institutes of Health
- Public health departments
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- U.S. Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service
- U.S. Department of Energy
- U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
- U.S. Department of Agriculture
- U.S. Geological Survey
- U.S. Office of Surface Mining
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration
- National Labs
- U.S. Department of Defense
Private research labs and organizations
Colleges and universities
Medical and other professional schools
Public and private schools, K-12
Consulting firms
Agricultural chemical companies
Plant and animal breeders and growers
Chemical instrumentation companies
Public health departments
Hospital laboratories
Commercial medical laboratories
Environmental management firms
Oceanographic research institutes
Mining companies
Airlines, railroads, and utility companies
Hospitals
Medical centers and clinics
Private and group medical practices
Health networks
Nursing homes
Rehabilitation centers
Correctional facilities
Large corporations
Armed services
Government agencies
State and local public health departments
Medical/Pharmaceutical companies
Publishing firms
Software firms
Regulatory agencies
Environmental management organizations
Waste management firms
Law firms
Legal departments of corporations

Industry:
- Chemical
- Pharmaceutical
- Biotechnology
- Food
- Feed
- Cosmetics
- Agricultural
- Environmental
- Petroleum
- Consumer products
- Legal
- Medical
- Biomedical
- Waste management
- Healthcare
- Plant and animal breeders and growers
- Agrichemicals
- Industrial bulk and fine chemicals
- Environmental textiles
- Consumer products
- Automotive
- Pulp and paper
- Rubbers
- Electronics
- Plastics
- Energy
- Alternative energy production
- Mining
- Microchip
- Computer manufacturers
- Ceramics
- Superconductive metals
- Aerospace equipment
- Machinery
- Communications
- Sporting goods
- Security
- Paint/coatings/dyes
- Elastomers
- Detergents
- Surfactants and colloids
- Adhesives
- Synthetic fiber
- Packaging