by our College Data Analytics TeamIn 2020-2021, environmental chemistry was the 1,213 most popular major nationwide with 25 degrees awarded. This represents a 36.0% reduction in environmental chemistry degrees awarded over the prior year's total of 34.
This year's Best Environmental Chemistry Schools ranking compares 5 of them to identify the best overall programs in the country. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of environmental chemistry programs later in this article.
A major in environmental chemistry prepares you for careers in which understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents is crucial. Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times and using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems are all required skills for careers related to this major.
A high school diploma or equivalent is typically required for most environmental chemistry degree programs and many students will need a minimum GPA and SAT/ACT score depending on the school. In addition to these basic environmental chemistry program qualifications, to serve in some environmental chemistry careers, special certification may be required outside of your degree.
There are many different environmental chemistry degree levels. You can spend many years getting as high as a in environmental chemistry to something that takes less time like a . Different environmental chemistry degrees vary in how long they take.
| Degree | Credit Requirements | Typical Program Length |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 60-70 credits | 2 years |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 120 credits | 4 years |
| Master’s Degree | 50-70 credits | 1-3 years |
| Doctorate | Program required coursework including thesis or dissertation | At least 4 years |
A bachelor's degree is the most common level of education achieved by those in careers related to environmental chemistry, with approximately 40.1% of workers getting one. Find out other typical degree levels for environmental chemistry workers below.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 39.3% |
| Master’s Degree | 26.4% |
| Doctoral Degree | 16.1% |
| Post-Doctoral Training | 10.6% |
| Post-Baccalaureate Certificate | 3.0% |
About 52.9% of workers in careers related to environmental chemistry obtain at least master's degrees. View the chart below to get an idea of what degree level most of those in environmental chemistry careers have.
The education level required is different depending on the environmental chemistry career you are seeking.
Want a job when you graduate with your environmental chemistry degree? Environmental Chemistry careers are expected to grow 9.2% between 2016 and 2026.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to environmental chemistry.
| Occupation Name | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Environmental Scientists and Specialists | 99,400 | 11.1% |
| Chemists | 94,000 | 6.5% |
| Natural Sciences Managers | 62,300 | 9.9% |
| Chemistry Professors | 28,900 | 9.9% |
| Environmental Science Professors | 7,600 | 10.1% |
As you might expect, salaries for environmental chemistry graduates vary depending on the level of education that was acquired.
Salaries for environmental chemistry graduates can vary widely by the occupation you choose as well. The following table shows the top highest paying careers environmental chemistry grads often go into.
| Occupation Name | Median Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Natural Sciences Managers | $139,680 |
| Chemistry Professors | $92,360 |
| Environmental Science Professors | $91,330 |
| Chemists | $83,850 |
| Environmental Scientists and Specialists | $77,580 |
With over 21 different environmental chemistry degree programs to choose from, finding the best fit for you can be a challenge. Fortunately you have come to the right place. We have analyzed all of these schools to come up with hundreds of unbiased environmental chemistry school rankings to help you with this.
One of 11 majors within the Chemistry area of study, Environmental Chemistry has other similar majors worth exploring.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| General Chemistry | 20,056 |
| Other Chemistry | 710 |
| Forensic Chemistry | 247 |
| Polymer Chemistry | 101 |
| Chemical Physics | 45 |
