Is the chemistry field high paying?

Question

Without going to grad school for medicine, can I make a decent sum of money with just my chem degree?

Answer 1

Unless you get very very lucky, a BS in chemistry doesn't pay well, and no one wants to hire a Chemist with a bachelog's degree.  If you still have a choice to make a change, chemical engineering pays a lot better.  With a BS in chemistry you can work as a lab tech, washing glassware, and doing simple lab work.  You would need to get at least a MS to get a job as a chemist, and earn a mediocre living.  I worked as a chemist for 16 years, but 20 years ago they still hired BS degreed people for chemists positions, but that changed in the last 10 years.

Answer 2

the field of chemistry is high paying depending on the aspect you did.you can also make huge money without been through medicine

Answer 3

To simply put it, No.

Answer 4

Not particularly.  A B.S. in chemistry can expect to make ~40K out of college.  I have had especially brilliant friends with B.S. degrees get a job straight out of college as high as 54K.  After some years of experience many B.S. chemists may make as much as a M.S. chemist--Which is about 10K more. So, M.S. Chemists may make 50K starting.  It depends on the location of the job as well--cost of living expenses!  Experience really matters.  Ph.D. chemists can expect to make ~ 65K (in IL) staring maybe more.  I am a Ph.D. and was recently interviewed for a job in the 80K to 100 K range in CA.  Usually, Illinois is a pretty average state in terms of income while other states with higher costs of living will see nearly proportional increases in pay.  Experience and your work skills really matter most.  If your a brilliant B.S. after some years of experience you may hold a job equal to a Ph.D.  So its all what you put into it with some luck involved as well.