Becoming a Chemist via Online Education?
At the very least, online education can help you lay a foundation and/or open up alternate career paths.
Western Governors University
is a US school (accredited) offering chemistry courses to train individuals
to become top-notch
chemists,
biochemists,
analytical research chemists,
chemistry professors,
chemistry instructors, etc.
Currently, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics there are 79,910 people employed as
chemists alone in America, and their average annual salary is
$72,740.
Chemical engineers make on average $91,670
per year and there are about 29,000
of them employed today.
Colleges and universities like Western Governors University that provide online education are successfully launching workers into
this
field.
Typical Work Locations for a Chemist
- Chemical lab
- Petroleum refinery
- Pharmaceutical company
- Government office
- Research department
- Manufacturing plant
- Food manufacturer
- University
- Hospital
- High school
Potential Advantages and Benefits of Working as a Chemist
- Research oriented
- Produce development in the field of medicine
- Use latest technology
- Work in lab and clinics
- Service oriented
- Contribute to society
- Work independently
- Collaborate with other scientists
- Work in a variety of environments
- Develop new products
Potential Drawbacks
- Requires extensive educational background
- Often work indoors
- Often work alone
- Work with hazardous chemicals
- Maintain educational credentials with advancements
- Lack of recognition
- Long hours
- Need extensive patience
- Potentially dangerous working conditions
- High pressure
Related Professions to Consider
- Agronomist
- Horticulturist
- Astronomer
- Biologist
- Geologist
- Meteorologist
- Oceanographer
- Physicist
- Environmental Inspectors
- Vintner
Possible Interview Questions When Applying to be a Chemist
- What are the three academic courses that best prepared you for your current job?
- What is your education background?
- What experience do you have in the chemistry field?
- How did you hear about this position?
- What are your strengths and weaknesses?
- What unique skills or knowledge can you contribute to our company?
- Do you have good communication skills?
- Are you familiar with standard laboratory equipment?
- What things give you the greatest satisfaction at work?
- What would your coworkers or your supervisor say about you?
Common Collaborating Professions
- Chemical Engineers
- Physicians
- Research Scientists
- Soil and Plant Scientists
- Materials Scientists
- Food Science Technicians
- Chemical Technicians
- Environmental Science Technicians
- Chemical Plant and System Operators
- Professor
Chemist Training books
Chemist (More) Popular books
Potential Companies to Work For
Common College Majors
- Biochemistry
- Nuclear Chemistry
- Organic Chemistry
- Inorganic Chemistry
- Analytical Chemistry
- Theoretical Chemistry
- Quantum Chemistry
- Environmental Chemistry
- Physical Chemistry
- Pharmacology
Chemist Salary Information
Category: Chemical engineers
| Total # Employed in the US |
29,000 |
| Average Hourly Wage: |
$44.07/hr |
| Hourly Wage Range |
| PERCENTILE |
| 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% |
| $26.97 |
$33.82 |
$42.44 |
$52.15 |
$63.93 |
|
| Average Yearly Salary |
$91,670 |
| Yearly Salary Range |
| PERCENTILE |
| 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% |
| $56,090 |
$70,350 |
$88,280 |
$108,470 |
$132,980 |
|
| Employment Demographics |
| % OF WORKERS WITH |
| < High School Diploma |
High School Diploma |
Some College |
Associate Degree |
Bachelor Degree |
Master Degree |
Doctoral Degree |
| 0.2% |
1.9% |
4.5% |
2.6% |
60.3% |
23.4% |
7.1% |
|
Chemical engineers — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
| STATE | Average Hourly Wage | Average Annual Salary |
|---|
| Alaska |
$60.49/hr
|
$125,820
|
| District of Columbia |
$55.9/hr
|
$116,280
|
| Iowa |
$54.14/hr
|
$112,610
|
| Florida |
$50.11/hr
|
$104,220
|
| Wyoming |
$47.63/hr
|
$99,070
|
| Mississippi |
$47.48/hr
|
$98,750
|
| Colorado |
$47.24/hr
|
$98,260
|
| South Dakota |
$47.22/hr
|
$98,210
|
| Connecticut |
$46.96/hr
|
$97,670
|
| Massachusetts |
$46.89/hr
|
$97,540
|
| North Dakota |
$46.31/hr
|
$96,330
|
| Michigan |
$45.32/hr
|
$94,270
|
| Ohio |
$45.19/hr
|
$94,000
|
| Maine |
$44.38/hr
|
$92,310
|
| Wisconsin |
$44.12/hr
|
$91,770
|
| California |
$43.75/hr
|
$91,000
|
| Missouri |
$42.94/hr
|
$89,320
|
| Oklahoma |
$42.72/hr
|
$88,860
|
| Maryland |
$42.24/hr
|
$87,850
|
| Hawaii |
$42.08/hr
|
$87,520
|
| Washington |
$41.55/hr
|
$86,420
|
| Alabama |
$41.45/hr
|
$86,220
|
| Guam |
$41.44/hr
|
$86,190
|
| South Carolina |
$41.21/hr
|
$85,720
|
| Nevada |
$40.85/hr
|
$84,970
|
| New Hampshire |
$40.72/hr
|
$84,700
|
| Tennessee |
$40.55/hr
|
$84,340
|
| Kansas |
$40.52/hr
|
$84,280
|
| Oregon |
$40.07/hr
|
$83,340
|
| Delaware |
$39.69/hr
|
$82,560
|
| Kentucky |
$39.61/hr
|
$82,390
|
| Utah |
$39.49/hr
|
$82,140
|
| Montana |
$39.41/hr
|
$81,980
|
| Louisiana |
$39.06/hr
|
$81,250
|
| New York |
$37.93/hr
|
$78,890
|
| New Jersey |
$37.59/hr
|
$78,180
|
| Arkansas |
$36.92/hr
|
$76,800
|
| North Carolina |
$35.07/hr
|
$72,950
|
| Nebraska |
$34.79/hr
|
$72,370
|
| Idaho |
$34.12/hr
|
$70,960
|
| New Mexico |
$32.28/hr
|
$67,140
|
Category: Biochemists and biophysicists
| Total # Employed in the US |
22,860 |
| Average Hourly Wage: |
$42.57/hr |
| Hourly Wage Range |
| PERCENTILE |
| 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% |
| $21.63 |
$28.82 |
$39.61 |
$51.93 |
$66.74 |
|
| Average Yearly Salary |
$88,550 |
| Yearly Salary Range |
| PERCENTILE |
| 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% |
| $44,990 |
$59,950 |
$82,390 |
$108,010 |
$138,820 |
|
| Employment Demographics |
| % OF WORKERS WITH |
| < High School Diploma |
High School Diploma |
Some College |
Associate Degree |
Bachelor Degree |
Master Degree |
Doctoral Degree |
| 0.1% |
0.9% |
2.6% |
3.3% |
43.2% |
30.2% |
19.8% |
|
Biochemists and biophysicists — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
| STATE | Average Hourly Wage | Average Annual Salary |
|---|
| Utah |
$50.64/hr
|
$105,320
|
| Florida |
$48.21/hr
|
$100,270
|
| North Dakota |
$46.25/hr
|
$96,190
|
| Missouri |
$45.88/hr
|
$95,420
|
| Delaware |
$45.5/hr
|
$94,640
|
| District of Columbia |
$45.21/hr
|
$94,030
|
| Kentucky |
$45.04/hr
|
$93,680
|
| Idaho |
$44.18/hr
|
$91,900
|
| Montana |
$44/hr
|
$91,510
|
| Connecticut |
$43.05/hr
|
$89,540
|
| Colorado |
$43.01/hr
|
$89,460
|
| Kansas |
$42.4/hr
|
$88,190
|
| Oklahoma |
$42.02/hr
|
$87,400
|
| Wisconsin |
$41.63/hr
|
$86,580
|
| Wyoming |
$40.95/hr
|
$85,180
|
| Louisiana |
$40.89/hr
|
$85,050
|
| Guam |
$40.65/hr
|
$84,550
|
| Mississippi |
$40.19/hr
|
$83,590
|
| Oregon |
$38.79/hr
|
$80,680
|
| Washington |
$36.62/hr
|
$76,170
|
| Hawaii |
$36.59/hr
|
$76,120
|
| Indiana |
$35.79/hr
|
$74,450
|
| New Mexico |
$34.53/hr
|
$71,830
|
| South Carolina |
$33.07/hr
|
$68,780
|
| Alabama |
$31.19/hr
|
$64,870
|
| Nebraska |
$28.62/hr
|
$59,530
|
| New Hampshire |
$26.8/hr
|
$55,750
|
| Arkansas |
$25.68/hr
|
$53,410
|
| Tennessee |
$24.71/hr
|
$51,400
|
| Massachusetts |
$24.34/hr
|
$50,630
|
Category: Chemists
| Total # Employed in the US |
79,910 |
| Average Hourly Wage: |
$34.97/hr |
| Hourly Wage Range |
| PERCENTILE |
| 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% |
| $18.7 |
$24.01 |
$32.8 |
$44.1 |
$55.23 |
|
| Average Yearly Salary |
$72,740 |
| Yearly Salary Range |
| PERCENTILE |
| 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% |
| $38,890 |
$49,940 |
$68,220 |
$91,720 |
$114,880 |
|
| Employment Demographics |
| % OF WORKERS WITH |
| < High School Diploma |
High School Diploma |
Some College |
Associate Degree |
Bachelor Degree |
Master Degree |
Doctoral Degree |
| 0.2% |
0.7% |
3.7% |
3.3% |
52.4% |
20.7% |
19.0% |
|
Chemists — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
| STATE | Average Hourly Wage | Average Annual Salary |
|---|
| Florida |
$53.27/hr
|
$110,810
|
| Mississippi |
$46.61/hr
|
$96,950
|
| District of Columbia |
$42.48/hr
|
$88,350
|
| Ohio |
$41.78/hr
|
$86,900
|
| Missouri |
$40.26/hr
|
$83,730
|
| Colorado |
$38.51/hr
|
$80,100
|
| New York |
$38.03/hr
|
$79,100
|
| Connecticut |
$37.5/hr
|
$78,010
|
| North Dakota |
$36.8/hr
|
$76,550
|
| South Dakota |
$36.44/hr
|
$75,800
|
| Iowa |
$36.32/hr
|
$75,540
|
| Utah |
$35.56/hr
|
$73,960
|
| North Carolina |
$35.39/hr
|
$73,600
|
| Idaho |
$35.31/hr
|
$73,450
|
| Oklahoma |
$35.26/hr
|
$73,330
|
| Wyoming |
$34.71/hr
|
$72,190
|
| Nebraska |
$33.55/hr
|
$69,780
|
| Delaware |
$33.42/hr
|
$69,520
|
| Guam |
$32.65/hr
|
$67,900
|
| South Carolina |
$32.61/hr
|
$67,830
|
| Alabama |
$32.54/hr
|
$67,670
|
| Virginia |
$32.5/hr
|
$67,590
|
| Pennsylvania |
$32.48/hr
|
$67,560
|
| Massachusetts |
$32.33/hr
|
$67,250
|
| Arkansas |
$32.31/hr
|
$67,200
|
| Kansas |
$32.04/hr
|
$66,630
|
| Nevada |
$32.03/hr
|
$66,630
|
| Oregon |
$31.56/hr
|
$65,640
|
| Washington |
$30.97/hr
|
$64,420
|
| New Hampshire |
$30.89/hr
|
$64,240
|
| Wisconsin |
$30.84/hr
|
$64,150
|
| Alaska |
$30.81/hr
|
$64,090
|
| California |
$30.81/hr
|
$64,080
|
| Indiana |
$29.73/hr
|
$61,830
|
| Maine |
$29.02/hr
|
$60,360
|
| Hawaii |
$28.99/hr
|
$60,300
|
| Louisiana |
$28.94/hr
|
$60,200
|
| Kentucky |
$28.92/hr
|
$60,150
|
| Maryland |
$28.79/hr
|
$59,880
|
| Michigan |
$27.8/hr
|
$57,810
|
| Tennessee |
$27.72/hr
|
$57,660
|
| Montana |
$27.6/hr
|
$57,410
|
| Puerto Rico |
$27.02/hr
|
$56,200
|
| New Mexico |
$26.27/hr
|
$54,650
|
| New Jersey |
$23.76/hr
|
$49,420
|
| West Virginia |
$23.53/hr
|
$48,950
|
Category: Chemistry teachers, postsecondary
| Total # Employed in the US |
20,370 |
| Average Yearly Salary |
$77,350 |
| Yearly Salary Range |
| PERCENTILE |
| 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% |
| $40,600 |
$52,320 |
$68,760 |
$93,260 |
$127,770 |
|
| Employment Demographics |
| % OF WORKERS WITH |
| < High School Diploma |
High School Diploma |
Some College |
Associate Degree |
Bachelor Degree |
Master Degree |
Doctoral Degree |
| 0.2% |
0.7% |
2.7% |
2.3% |
15.3% |
34.6% |
44.2% |
|
Chemistry teachers, postsecondary — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
| STATE | Average Hourly Wage | Average Annual Salary |
|---|
| Alabama |
-
|
$65,710
|
| Arkansas |
-
|
$83,870
|
| California |
-
|
$61,460
|
| Colorado |
-
|
$89,420
|
| Connecticut |
-
|
$86,270
|
| Delaware |
-
|
$67,880
|
| Florida |
-
|
$81,400
|
| Hawaii |
-
|
$71,440
|
| Idaho |
-
|
$71,280
|
| Indiana |
-
|
$71,970
|
| Kansas |
-
|
$72,030
|
| Kentucky |
-
|
$68,920
|
| Louisiana |
-
|
$73,580
|
| Maine |
-
|
$61,930
|
| Maryland |
-
|
$70,880
|
| Massachusetts |
-
|
$64,210
|
| Michigan |
-
|
$75,650
|
| Mississippi |
-
|
$86,010
|
| Missouri |
-
|
$94,590
|
| Montana |
-
|
$84,840
|
| Nebraska |
-
|
$68,030
|
| Nevada |
-
|
$68,490
|
| New Hampshire |
-
|
$61,530
|
| New Jersey |
-
|
$54,480
|
| New Mexico |
-
|
$66,260
|
| North Carolina |
-
|
$80,740
|
| North Dakota |
-
|
$79,500
|
| Ohio |
-
|
$66,000
|
| Oklahoma |
-
|
$92,920
|
| Oregon |
-
|
$76,070
|
| Pennsylvania |
-
|
$56,440
|
| South Carolina |
-
|
$72,530
|
| Tennessee |
-
|
$90,520
|
| Utah |
-
|
$76,770
|
| Virginia |
-
|
$86,280
|
| Washington |
-
|
$61,860
|
| West Virginia |
-
|
$61,570
|
| Wisconsin |
-
|
$58,870
|
| Wyoming |
-
|
$84,060
|
| Guam |
-
|
$81,100
|
| Puerto Rico |
-
|
$59,570
|
Category: Chemical plant and system operators
| Total # Employed in the US |
45,750 |
| Average Hourly Wage: |
$25.97/hr |
| Hourly Wage Range |
| PERCENTILE |
| 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% |
| $17.38 |
$21.1 |
$26.09 |
$31.03 |
$35.31 |
|
| Average Yearly Salary |
$54,010 |
| Yearly Salary Range |
| PERCENTILE |
| 10% | 25% | 50% | 75% | 90% |
| $36,160 |
$43,880 |
$54,270 |
$64,550 |
$73,450 |
|
| Employment Demographics |
| % OF WORKERS WITH |
| < High School Diploma |
High School Diploma |
Some College |
Associate Degree |
Bachelor Degree |
Master Degree |
Doctoral Degree |
| 7.9% |
42.8% |
30.2% |
10.5% |
7.4% |
1.0% |
0.3% |
|
Chemical plant and system operators — WAGES BY STATE, SORTED BY SALARY
| STATE | Average Hourly Wage | Average Annual Salary |
|---|
| Wyoming |
$29.75/hr
|
$61,880
|
| Massachusetts |
$28.69/hr
|
$59,670
|
| New Jersey |
$28.32/hr
|
$58,900
|
| Alabama |
$27.38/hr
|
$56,950
|
| Colorado |
$27.28/hr
|
$56,740
|
| District of Columbia |
$27.02/hr
|
$56,200
|
| Montana |
$26.49/hr
|
$55,090
|
| Oklahoma |
$26.48/hr
|
$55,070
|
| Wisconsin |
$25.63/hr
|
$53,310
|
| Kansas |
$25.03/hr
|
$52,060
|
| North Dakota |
$24.95/hr
|
$51,890
|
| Maryland |
$24.48/hr
|
$50,910
|
| Michigan |
$24.45/hr
|
$50,860
|
| Utah |
$24.38/hr
|
$50,700
|
| Missouri |
$24.27/hr
|
$50,490
|
| Kentucky |
$24.23/hr
|
$50,400
|
| South Carolina |
$24.21/hr
|
$50,360
|
| New York |
$24.19/hr
|
$50,310
|
| Iowa |
$24.12/hr
|
$50,160
|
| Guam |
$23.97/hr
|
$49,850
|
| Tennessee |
$23.75/hr
|
$49,390
|
| Mississippi |
$23.67/hr
|
$49,220
|
| California |
$23/hr
|
$47,850
|
| Maine |
$22.83/hr
|
$47,500
|
| New Hampshire |
$22.63/hr
|
$47,060
|
| Nevada |
$22.62/hr
|
$47,040
|
| Idaho |
$22.52/hr
|
$46,850
|
| South Dakota |
$22.26/hr
|
$46,300
|
| Louisiana |
$21.8/hr
|
$45,340
|
| Connecticut |
$21.12/hr
|
$43,940
|
| Oregon |
$21.04/hr
|
$43,760
|
| Hawaii |
$20.79/hr
|
$43,240
|
| Washington |
$20.63/hr
|
$42,910
|
| Nebraska |
$20.63/hr
|
$42,920
|
| New Mexico |
$18.19/hr
|
$37,840
|
