by our College Data Analytics TeamIn the latest year, 4 U.S. colleges awarded 9 degrees and certificates in Physical Chemistry. Doctorates are the most popular award, at 67% of graduates. Graduates earn a median $46,311 one year after completing, rising to $74,187 after four years.
Studying Physical Chemistry covers Physical Chemistry. A Program That Focuses On The Scientific Study Of Understanding And Predicting The Behavior Of Chemical Systems Ranging From Nuclear Particles To Atoms, Molecules, Clusters, Biological Materials And Macroscopic Assemblies. Includes Instruction In Quantum Mechanics, Spectroscopy, Thermodynamics, Statistical Mechanics, Reaction Dynamics, Group Theory, Collision Theory, And Polymer Science.
Source: IPEDS 2025; College Scorecard July 2026; BLS; O*NET; College Factual rankings 2027. Data as of: July 2026.
In the U.S., physical chemistry is a popular field of study, with 9 degrees awarded annually. 4 colleges award physical chemistry degrees, an average of 2 graduates per school; the largest program awarded 4.
By level, the 9 awards include 2 bachelor’s degrees, 1 master’s degrees and 6 doctorates.
Women earned 22% of physical chemistry degrees and certificates in the latest year (2 of 9). The largest groups of graduates by race and ethnicity are White (4) and Hispanic or Latino (2), and international students earned 1.
The most common physical chemistry credential is the doctorate: 6 of the 9 awarded in the latest year. Jobs related to physical chemistry call most for Reading Comprehension, Writing and Active Listening, and for knowledge of English Language, Mathematics and Chemistry, according to O*NET. The most important abilities are Oral Expression, Written Expression and Written Comprehension.
Top skills, rated 0–5:
Top knowledge areas, rated 0–5:
How long a physical chemistry degree takes:
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 2 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 1 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 6 |
Bachelor’s degree is the most common level of education among workers in jobs related to physical chemistry, at 37.7%.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Bachelor’s degree | 37.7% |
| Master’s degree | 19.1% |
| Post-doctoral training | 13.4% |
| Doctoral degree | 12.5% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 4.8% |
| Some college courses | 3.9% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 3.4% |
| High school diploma or equivalent | 2.9% |
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 2.4% |
Source: O*NET Online.
5 occupations are related to Physical Chemistry, with an average median salary of $110,432; the strongest outlook belongs to Clinical Research Coordinators, at 10.4% projected job growth. Typical job titles include Clinical Trials Manager, Research Coordinator, Clinical Project Manager and Clinical Research Nurse Coordinator.
That occupation also has the most projected jobs of any related to physical chemistry, at 542,888.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Clinical Research Coordinators | 542,888 | 10.4% |
| Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary | 398,348 | 7.1% |
| Natural Sciences Managers | 179,495 | 8.7% |
| Chemists | 91,666 | 3.1% |
| Water Resource Specialists | 78,994 | -0.4% |
Physical Chemistry graduates earn a median $46,311 one year after completing their program, $74,187 after four years and $72,061 after five years, according to the U.S. Department of Education’s College Scorecard.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $46,311 |
| 4 years | $74,187 |
| 5 years | $72,061 |
Source: College Scorecard.
The highest-paying occupation related to physical chemistry is Water Resource Specialists, with a median salary of $179,716.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Water Resource Specialists | $179,716 |
| Natural Sciences Managers | $132,227 |
| Clinical Research Coordinators | $110,931 |
| Chemistry Teachers, Postsecondary | $69,509 |
| Chemists | $59,779 |
Physical Chemistry has 10 similar majors in the Physical Sciences field, which together award 19,852 degrees a year; the largest are Chemistry, General (18,718), Chemistry, Other (574) and Forensic Chemistry (363). Browse all Physical Sciences majors or the full list of college majors.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Chemistry, General | 18,718 |
| Chemistry, Other | 574 |
| Forensic Chemistry | 363 |
| Polymer Chemistry | 72 |
| Chemical Physics | 44 |
| Analytical Chemistry | 38 |
| Environmental Chemistry | 21 |
| Organic Chemistry | 9 |
| Theoretical Chemistry | 9 |
| Inorganic Chemistry | 4 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.