Chemical Technicians vs Chemists
Median pay is about $31k higher for Chemists. The usual entry education is associate's for Chemical Technicians and bachelor's for Chemists.
marks the higher pay or growth. Education, difficulty and the AI rows depend on what you want, so they are not marked.
| Measure | Chemical Technicians | Chemists |
|---|---|---|
| Pay | ||
| Median pay | $60,390 | $91,240, higher |
| Entry pay 25th percentile | $48,530 | $69,460, higher |
| Experienced pay 75th percentile | $75,900 | $125,550, higher |
| Outlook, 2025 to 2035 | ||
| Projected growth | +4.9% Growing fast | +6.4% Growing fast, higher |
| Openings a year | 7,600 | 5,900 |
| Getting in | ||
| Typical education | Associate's | Bachelor's |
| Difficulty modeled | 2.2 / 5 | 2.6 / 5 |
| AI | ||
| Displacement risk modeled | Moderate | High |
| AI exposure modeled, percentile | 48th pct | 78th pct |
Where the skills differ
Only Chemical Technicians
- Monitoring
Only Chemists
- Speaking
Both lean on science, reading comprehension, critical thinking, active listening, writing.
More comparisons
Compare Chemical Technicians with
Compare Chemists with
Pay and outlook: BLS (OEWS 2025, Employment Projections 2025-2035). Skills: O*NET 30.3. Difficulty, displacement risk and AI exposure are modeled estimates. How these numbers are made.