Is chemistry a good/employable major in 2025

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:ChemE vs Chem is pretty close. ChemE requires, ochem, pchem, biochem. Then take polymer engineering, computational chemistry. Lots of electives you can take in chemistry or related subjects. Even plasma and nuclear engineering. Material science and even EE take solid state chemistry classes.

ChemE is nothing like Chemistry. Why are you misinforming op?

You're right. ChemE has broad career options in many different engineering fields.. Chem majors with just undergrad degrees end up working in labs.

DP, but why is that a bad thing? My DC is only a rising jr in HS but is considering chemistry too. DC loves lab work.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:ChemE vs Chem is pretty close. ChemE requires, ochem, pchem, biochem. Then take polymer engineering, computational chemistry. Lots of electives you can take in chemistry or related subjects. Even plasma and nuclear engineering. Material science and even EE take solid state chemistry classes.

ChemE is nothing like Chemistry. Why are you misinforming op?

You're right. ChemE has broad career options in many different engineering fields.. Chem majors with just undergrad degrees end up working in labs.

DP, but why is that a bad thing? My DC is only a rising jr in HS but is considering chemistry too. DC loves lab work.

I didn't say it was a bad thing. Just different majors, fields and careers.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC is interested in majoring in chem (not pre-med) but I am in a
very different field and have no idea.

There will be no majors that will be employable soon because the ones that will be haven't been created yet. Study it if into Chemistry, who knows it could be used for those yet to be seen majors and jobs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:ChemE vs Chem is pretty close. ChemE requires, ochem, pchem, biochem. Then take polymer engineering, computational chemistry. Lots of electives you can take in chemistry or related subjects. Even plasma and nuclear engineering. Material science and even EE take solid state chemistry classes.

ChemE is nothing like Chemistry. Why are you misinforming op?

You're right. ChemE has broad career options in many different engineering fields.. Chem majors with just undergrad degrees end up working in labs.

DP, but why is that a bad thing? My DC is only a rising jr in HS but is considering chemistry too. DC loves lab work.

It’s not, if that’s what they want to do. But the risk is that 5-10 years in they may regret the limitations on career. No guarantee that will be the case, but they need to have eyes wide open at the choice. Friends getting promoted, having opportunities unavailable to them, etc can kinda stink later on. That said I have a friend who had made a career of this type of work and done very well for herself. She liked not having the extra responsibility of management, dealing with office politics, taking work home, etc. She could in, put in her hours, clock out and go home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:ChemE vs Chem is pretty close. ChemE requires, ochem, pchem, biochem. Then take polymer engineering, computational chemistry. Lots of electives you can take in chemistry or related subjects. Even plasma and nuclear engineering. Material science and even EE take solid state chemistry classes.

ChemE is nothing like Chemistry. Why are you misinforming op?

You're right. ChemE has broad career options in many different engineering fields.. Chem majors with just undergrad degrees end up working in labs.

DP, but why is that a bad thing? My DC is only a rising jr in HS but is considering chemistry too. DC loves lab work.

ChemEs have much better career trajectories as well as income potential.

[Anonymous]

Chem PhD here. With a chemistry undergrad, you need to plan on grad school. It can be a PhD program, JD, MD, or MBA, but you'll need something after the BS.

There are employable chemistry PhDs, but you need to pick a research area that isn't purely academic and has a corresponding industry. It's not hard to do, but you do need to be a bit thoughtful.

I will add that the whole chemistry grad school pipeline is a mess right now with Trump's decision to gut science funding. No one really knows what things will look like in 4-5 years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:ChemE vs Chem is pretty close. ChemE requires, ochem, pchem, biochem. Then take polymer engineering, computational chemistry. Lots of electives you can take in chemistry or related subjects. Even plasma and nuclear engineering. Material science and even EE take solid state chemistry classes.

ChemE is nothing like Chemistry. Why are you misinforming op?

You're right. ChemE has broad career options in many different engineering fields.. Chem majors with just undergrad degrees end up working in labs.

DP, but why is that a bad thing? My DC is only a rising jr in HS but is considering chemistry too. DC loves lab work.

With just a BS you end up being a poorly paid lab grunt. It's not fun or a good career. If you like lab work, go get your PhD and work your way up the food chain.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:ChemE vs Chem is pretty close. ChemE requires, ochem, pchem, biochem. Then take polymer engineering, computational chemistry. Lots of electives you can take in chemistry or related subjects. Even plasma and nuclear engineering. Material science and even EE take solid state chemistry classes.

ChemE is nothing like Chemistry. Why are you misinforming op?

You're right. ChemE has broad career options in many different engineering fields.. Chem majors with just undergrad degrees end up working in labs.

DP, but why is that a bad thing? My DC is only a rising jr in HS but is considering chemistry too. DC loves lab work.

With just a BS you end up being a poorly paid lab grunt. It's not fun or a good career. If you like lab work, go get your PhD and work your way up the food chain.

+1

[Anonymous]

For what it is worth, my kid just graduated with Chemical Engineering degree and hasn't had much luck finding a job. I think as this point he'd be happy with bench work.

It's a tough job market out there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For what it is worth, my kid just graduated with Chemical Engineering degree and hasn't had much luck finding a job. I think as this point he'd be happy with bench work.

It's a tough job market out there.

I think a lot also depends on the school and if it provided the student a lot of internship and co-op program opportunities while in school to establish the work experience and employment connections.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:For what it is worth, my kid just graduated with Chemical Engineering degree and hasn't had much luck finding a job. I think as this point he'd be happy with bench work.

It's a tough job market out there.

Gas companies not hiring?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:For what it is worth, my kid just graduated with Chemical Engineering degree and hasn't had much luck finding a job. I think as this point he'd be happy with bench work.

It's a tough job market out there.

Gas companies not hiring?

I'll ask him.

His college didn't set him up with internships-- no co-op model either. I think he would have really enjoyed a school that had such a focus.

On the other hand, he entered that school intending to major in computer science, but then decided chemical engineering is where he would be happiest. No sense wasting time with regret.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:ChemE vs Chem is pretty close. ChemE requires, ochem, pchem, biochem. Then take polymer engineering, computational chemistry. Lots of electives you can take in chemistry or related subjects. Even plasma and nuclear engineering. Material science and even EE take solid state chemistry classes.

ChemE is nothing like Chemistry. Why are you misinforming op?

You're right. ChemE has broad career options in many different engineering fields.. Chem majors with just undergrad degrees end up working in labs.

DP, but why is that a bad thing? My DC is only a rising jr in HS but is considering chemistry too. DC loves lab work.

The pay is terrible…not much more than minimum wage.

That’s why chemistry and biology degrees often show up in the “worst ROI” articles you see about majors.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:ChemE vs Chem is pretty close. ChemE requires, ochem, pchem, biochem. Then take polymer engineering, computational chemistry. Lots of electives you can take in chemistry or related subjects. Even plasma and nuclear engineering. Material science and even EE take solid state chemistry classes.

ChemE is nothing like Chemistry. Why are you misinforming op?

You're right. ChemE has broad career options in many different engineering fields.. Chem majors with just undergrad degrees end up working in labs.

DP, but why is that a bad thing? My DC is only a rising jr in HS but is considering chemistry too. DC loves lab work.

The pay is terrible…not much more than minimum wage.

That’s why chemistry and biology degrees often show up in the “worst ROI” articles you see about majors.

I'll also add that it isn't a career, but only a job. There's no way to advance or assume more responsibilities (with corresponding pay) if you don't also get higher education.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No. Jobs are there but not many

Chem has never been "a good major" if you don't wish to pursue a MS/PHD. Sure there are jobs, but they tend to be lower paying and you are doing grunt work for those with a PHD. If you want to do "meaningful work" you need the advanced degree.

BioChem is better but Chem Eng (if you can hack it) is the best.