Associate Degree in Chemistry

Salary

Chemical technician, $37,000*

Lab assistant, $36,000*

Scientific research, $87,940**

Pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing, $76,190**

Basic chemical manufacturing, $77,970**

Oil and gas extraction, $110,750**

Biochemists and Biophysicists $142,356.44***

Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers $71,386.71***

Chemical Engineers $65,028.39***

Chemical Equipment Operators and Tenders $37,079.20***

Chemical Plant and System Operators $45,888.86***

Chemical Technicians $48,199.62***

Chemistry Teacher, Postsecondary $99,925.13***

Chemists $80,199.71***

Food Scientists and Technologists $65,372.04***

*Simply Hired: Riverside County

**Bureau of Labor Statistics 2013 annual mean wage. Most positions require bachelor’s degree or above.

***Source: EMSI, 2021.1 dataset for San Bernardino and Riverside counties

 

Career Info

The associate of science degree in chemistry can lead to employment in a laboratory. There are varying levels of training and education required for countless positions. Because it is a versatile science, chemistry can be applied to almost any industrial, educational, scientific or government field. A bachelor’s degree in chemistry opens additional opportunities and can be used to gain admittance to advanced degree programs, which will open even more options.

Potential Careers

Chemists work in numerous higher education, industry, government, and entrepreneurial positions. A sampling of those industries utilizing professionals with chemistry degrees:

  • Analytical chemistry
  • Atmospheric chemistry
  • Biochemistry
  • Biotechnology
  • Chemical engineering
  • Chemical information specialist
  • Chemical sales
  • Chemical technology
  • Chemist
  • Consulting
  • Environmental chemistry
  • Food chemistry
  • Forensic science
  • Geochemistry
  • Government policy
  • Hazardous waste management
  • Inorganic chemistry
  • Medicine
  • Military systems
  • Oceanography
  • Organic chemist
  • Patent Law
  • Perfume chemistry
  • Pharmaceuticals
  • Physical chemistry
  • Science writer
  • Software design
  • Space exploration
  • Surface chemistry
  • Teaching
  • Technical writing

Transfer to a 4-year university for a degree in chemistry.