Careers in Chemistry

Chemists are employable in a huge variety of careers, from food science to environmental protection and pharmacology to forensics. Chemists become writers, managers, consultants, laboratory technicians—the list is long and diverse. Chemists and chemical engineers earn competitive salaries while solving problems or developing new products. Explore the American Chemical Society's website for additional information on careers for college graduates in chemistry.

Majoring in chemistry is excellent preparation for medical school. The Rollins chemistry major covers nearly all of the required science courses for medical school including math, physics, chemistry, biochemistry, general biology, and writing requirements. A strong foundation in chemistry will also be of benefit throughout medical school, most directly in problem solving/critical thinking skills and the study of topics such as drugs and metabolism.

Do you enjoy conducting experiments in the lab? Many students choose to develop their abilities further by going to graduate school in chemistry, chemical engineering, or law. In addition to specializing in a chemical subdiscipline such as biochemistry or inorganic chemistry, median salaries for chemists greatly increase with a graduate education. A PhD opens the door to careers in both industry and academics. As an added bonus, grad school will likely be paid for! Graduate students typically hold research and/or teaching assistantships, so the school waives tuition and pays the graduate student a stipend. The starting salary for inexperienced PhD graduates is significantly more than for those who have a bachelor's degree alone. You can prepare yourself for graduate school by performing undergraduate research with a faculty member at Rollins or in the summer at a National Science Foundation-funded Research for Undergraduates program at one of many other schools.