Chemists vs Materials Scientists
Median pay is about $27k higher for Materials Scientists. The usual entry education is bachelor's for Chemists and doctoral for Materials Scientists.
marks the higher pay or growth. Education, difficulty and the AI rows depend on what you want, so they are not marked.
| Measure | Chemists | Materials Scientists |
|---|---|---|
| Pay | ||
| Median pay | $91,240 | $117,790, higher |
| Entry pay 25th percentile | $69,460 | $89,990, higher |
| Experienced pay 75th percentile | $125,550 | $150,550, higher |
| Outlook, 2025 to 2035 | ||
| Projected growth | +6.4% Growing fast | +8.3% Growing fast, higher |
| Openings a year | 5,900 | 600 |
| Getting in | ||
| Typical education | Bachelor's | Doctoral |
| Difficulty modeled | 2.6 / 5 | 2.6 / 5 |
| AI | ||
| Displacement risk modeled | High | High |
| AI exposure modeled, percentile | 78th pct | 85th pct |
Skills
Both lean on the same top skills: science, reading comprehension, critical thinking, speaking, active listening, writing.
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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.